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
43episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
#568: Buy or Build the Talent
6d ago00:11:51Tap to summarizeMost business owners eventually face this decision: go find someone who has already done the job, or grow someone from the ground up. In this solo episode, Bradley Hamner breaks down buy vs. build as a practical mental model for any owner who is growing a team, filling a role, or navigating turnover.Bradley uses the college football transfer portal to frame the core trade-off: buying talent costs more money but requires less development time, while building talent costs less upfront but demands more of the owner's time and energy. He covers the difference between production and potential, explains when each approach makes sense, and shares how the best business owners he has worked with think about developing their people.This episode moves beyond hiring tactics and into how owners think about their team. Who should you be spending time developing? At what stage does being the Rainmaker stop serving the business? And when a role opens up, what kind of person are you actually looking for? If you are building a team and want a clearer framework for smarter hiring decisions, 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 →#567: Leadership in the Fog with Pete Behrens
1w ago00:34:29Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Bradley sits down with Pete Behrens, leadership coach, author, and founder of Agile Leadership Journey. Pete shares how his path from engineering to leadership coaching led him to focus on one of the hardest parts of leadership: guiding people through uncertainty, change, and complexity.They discuss why leadership is different from management, how organizations often fail in execution rather than in strategy definition, and why many business owners hit a false summit where their current leadership style can no longer carry the business forward. Pete also explains the difference between a leader as a title and leadership as a choice, and why real leadership often shows up without formal authority.This conversation moves beyond systems and into the human side of growth. What does it mean to lead when there are no clear answers? How do you stay engaged without micromanaging? And how do you develop the kind of leadership that allows the business to move beyond the founder’s current limits?If you care about growing as a leader, navigating complexity, and helping your business move forward with more intention, this conversation is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Learn more about Pete Behrens and Agile Leadership Journey: https://www.agileleadershipjourney.com/Check out his latest book, Into the Fog: https://www.agileleadershipjourney.com/into-the-fog-bookThanks 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 →#566: Functional Leaders vs Helpers
2w ago00:10:14Tap to summarizeIn this solo episode, Bradley Hamner draws a clear line between leaders who own outcomes and managers who execute tasks. If a business owner still feels pulled into the weeds around their managers, the role has likely never been defined around outcomes.Bradley walks through what outcome ownership looks like across sales, service, and operations roles, and shares a real client example where a simple one-pager reset expectations, resolved unspoken resentment, and gave a leader the clarity to move forward without pulling the owner back in.What are the outcomes you actually want each manager to own? If you removed the person's name from the role and looked at it objectively, would those outcomes be written down anywhere? And how much friction inside your organization exists simply because that conversation has never happened? If you lead a team and feel like you are still too involved in the work your managers should be handling, 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 →#565: Building Your Dream Team with David Peterson
2w ago00:50:36Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Bradley sits down with David Peterson, insurance agency owner and author of Building Your Dream Team. David shares how he grew his business from three employees to nearly 60 over 12 years by treating recruiting as a structured system rather than a reactive process.They cover multi-step recruiting funnels, why making a position hard to get increases candidate desire, how to hire for character over a specific role, what real onboarding looks like in the first 30 days, and how to read references for what isn't being said.This conversation moves beyond recruiting tactics and into the discipline of building a team for the long term. What would your business look like if every open position was treated as something worth competing for? Are you investing enough in the people on your team to keep them there? And how much of your time as a business owner is genuinely going to the team? If you are serious about building a business that runs on talented, committed people, this conversation is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Pick up David's book, Building Your Dream Team, on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0bR6N9XfLearn more about David Peterson and his consulting: https://www.coachpconsulting.comCheck out David's scaling seminars: https://www.scaleandprofitseminar.com/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 →#564: Production vs Potential (The Transfer Portal)
3w ago00:10:16Tap to summarizeIn this solo episode, Bradley Hamner applies the college sports transfer portal concept to one of the most consequential decisions a growing business faces: when recruiting, are you going after someone who has already done the work, or someone with the raw ingredients to develop? Most business owners never make that choice deliberately, and it costs them.Bradley walks through real hiring decisions from his own companies, including an office manager brought in specifically for her existing experience and a sales rep recruited directly from a competitor. He explains the reasoning behind both hires, why the next sales hire in that same business will target potential instead of production, and what signals to look for when making that call.This episode moves beyond hiring tactics and into recruiting mindset. Are you clear on what a role actually requires before you start looking? When you go after experience, is that a deliberate choice or a default? And how does the current stage of your business shape which approach makes more sense? If you are actively expanding your team and want a clearer framework for making smarter hiring decisions, 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 →#563: The Four Forces of Growth with Kevin Lawrence
3w ago00:35:01Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Bradley sits down with Kevin Lawrence, entrepreneur, coach, and author of Your Oxygen Mask First and The Four Forces of Growth. Kevin shares how his path from early entrepreneurial hustles to decades of coaching business owners shaped the frameworks he now teaches around growth, leadership, and long-term business performance.They discuss what has not changed in business despite the rise of AI and new technology, and why the core principles of solving customer problems, hiring the right people, and building strong margins still matter most. Kevin also explains how many leaders unintentionally optimize their businesses for efficiency instead of growth, and why that shift can quietly flatten momentum over time.This conversation moves beyond tactics and into how leaders think. How do you know whether you are building for growth or simply fixing problems? What does it take to keep your business moving forward without burning yourself out? And how do you balance the operational demands of today with the strategic thinking required for the future?If you care about sustainable growth, sharper leadership, and building a business that can scale without draining you, this conversation is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Learn more about Kevin Lawrence and Lawrence & Co: https://www.lawrenceandco.com/Check out Kevin’s books: https://lawrenceandco.com/resources/books 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 →#562: Good vs Great Business Owners
4w ago00:14:02Tap to summarizeIn this solo episode, Bradley Hamner unpacks a question he was recently asked at the BlueprintOS’ Beat the Odds retreat: what is the real difference between good business owners and great business owners? After reflecting on years of working with small business owners and building businesses himself, he shares the answer he has landed on.Bradley explains that the difference is not simply marketing skill, sales ability, or even hiring talent. Great business owners develop a ruthless ability to identify what actually matters in the business, then stay focused on it long enough to remove the bottleneck that is holding growth back.This conversation moves beyond tactics and into discernment. What is the real needle mover in your business right now? Are you solving the right problem, or just reacting to noise? And can you stay focused on the right thing long enough to create real progress? If you want to sharpen your ability to identify what matters and act on it, this episode is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Resources MentionedThe Goal by Eliyahu M Goldratt: https://a.co/d/04ccnE1JThanks 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 →#561: Building a Better Business in a Fragmented Industry with Michael Jacobson
Apr 2700:39:19Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Bradley sits down with Michael Jacobson, founder of French Florist, to talk about what it looks like to spot opportunity in a struggling industry and build a modern business around it. Michael shares how he went from corporate consulting into the floral industry, first by trying to help his uncle sell a flower shop, then by realizing the entire industry faced the same structural problems.They discuss how Michael approached an old and fragmented category with a different lens, combining technology, supply chain, and marketing to transform unit economics and build a scalable model. The conversation also explores what it takes to turn a single underperforming location into a multi-location business with franchise ambitions, while still staying focused on the customer experience.This conversation moves beyond business turnaround tactics and into entrepreneurial thinking. How do you recognize real opportunity in an overlooked market? What does it take to challenge assumptions in a legacy industry? And how do you build a business that creates both financial upside and a platform for something bigger than yourself?If you care about finding opportunity where others see limitations, building better systems, and creating a business with long-term potential, this conversation is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Learn more about French Florist: https://www.frenchflorist.com/ Learn more about their franchise opportunity: https://www.frenchfloristfranchise.com/Reach out to Michael: michael@frenchflorist.com 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 →#560: Why Business Owners Quit Right Before They Make $1,000,000
Apr 2400:16:21Tap to summarizeIn this solo episode, Bradley Hamner speaks directly to the business owner who feels like everything is getting harder at the exact moment the business should be working. He shares a recent conversation with a founder who was ready to burn it all down, even though the business was actually performing well and tracking toward a strong year.Bradley unpacks the ceiling of complexity that often shows up between $500,000 and $1,000,000 in revenue. This is the stage where the team grows, systems need to mature, and the founder’s job begins to change. What feels like failure is often the pressure of leveling up.This conversation moves beyond tactics and into the emotional reality of building a business. What if the moment you want to quit is actually the moment right before the breakthrough? And what if the complexity you are facing is not proof that you are failing, but proof that the business is growing? If you have ever felt like a fraud while trying to lead a growing company, 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 →#559: From Doing the Work to Leading the Business with Michael Zipursky
Apr 2000:32:45Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Bradley sits down with Michael Zipursky, co-founder of Consulting Success, entrepreneur, and advisor to consultants building firms around their expertise. Michael shares his journey from starting businesses in high school to building and selling multiple companies, and explains why so many business owners stay stuck inside the work instead of designing the business they actually want.They discuss the difference between growth and scale, why many founders fail to define what success really looks like for them, and how that lack of clarity creates friction when it comes to team building, systems, and leadership. Michael also explains why documenting the nuance of how work gets done is critical if you want to transfer knowledge, build leverage, and reduce dependence on the founder.This conversation moves beyond tactics and into intentionality. What kind of business do you actually want to build? Are you hiring to relieve today’s pressure or to support the future you want? And how do you get the business out of your head and into systems that allow others to help carry it forward?If you care about building a business with more clarity, leverage, and long-term alignment, this conversation is for you.Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.Learn more about Michael Zipursky and Consulting Success: https://www.consultingsuccess.com/Connect with Michael Zipursky on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zipursky/ 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.
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