Second in Command Podcast: Ep. 559

Guest: Scott Levy (Founder & CEO, ResultMaps)

Host: Savannah Brewer (for Cameron Herold)

Title: Why “Just Doing More” Is Killing Your Results

Date: March 5, 2026

Overview

This episode features Scott Levy, founder and CEO of ResultMaps, a platform designed to help business leaders and operators streamline execution and banish friction in their operations. Host Savannah Brewer dives deep with Scott into why “just doing more” leads to worse outcomes in business, how effective teams set the right priorities, and ways modern leadership can use technology—especially AI—to focus on outcomes rather than activity. Listeners also get tactical insights on discipline, harnessing emotion, avoiding the “busyness” trap, and employing metrics that actually create growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Origin & Purpose of ResultMaps

[02:09 – 06:16]

• ResultMaps helps CEOs and leaders accelerate execution and remove the friction to achieving greater revenue and profits.
  • "We usually tell them we're going to help them get more zeros added to their revenue or their profits or both." — Scott [02:12]
• SaaS is the core offering, with support for integrating ResultMaps concepts into growing companies.
• Scott's background as a management consultant and lifelong experience in entrepreneurial families shaped his understanding of operational pain points.
  • He references living through the “effects that challenging operations can have on a family.” [03:43]
• Project management systems are outdated; most tools trace back to 1920s models built for slow-moving manufacturing—out of place for today's tech-driven pace.

The Ideal Client and the Impact of AI

[06:16 – 09:22]

• The sweet spot for ResultMaps is shifting toward larger clients (approaching $50M+ in revenue).
  • "We're finding that they tend to get closer and closer to 50 million lately." — Scott [06:22]
• AI is likely an advantage for small- and medium-sized businesses, not a threat.
  • “A hungry young company that's well equipped, that's using the right tools can really outmaneuver some of those bigger boats.” — Scott [08:32]
• Emphasis on agility: smaller, well-equipped teams (like US special forces) outperform larger, slow-moving organizations.

Tech Tools & Streamlining Activity

[09:22 – 11:46]

• Integration of conversational AI (like Grok) into workflows is a gamechanger.
  • “Just giving a prompt to Grok can take the place of, ‘Oh, what CRM should we use?’” — Scott [10:13]
• Voice-based, AI-fueled activity tracking; even Tesla offers Grok in-car for productive drive-time work.

The Onboarding Experience and Vision Setting

[11:46 – 13:55]

• The platform rapidly helps leaders clarify and document their vision (inspired by Cameron Herold's “Vivid Vision”).
  • “So that's one of the things a lot of in particular CEO's love. Like, wow, I've been meaning to get this out. And then the software literally takes them through…” — Scott [12:12]
• Supports EOS, OKRs, or other frameworks—creating a 3-year, 1-year, and 30-day milestones in about 30 minutes.
• Weekly dashboards connect vision to execution and integrate with existing tools for visibility in one place.

Adoption Patterns & Removing Emotional Bias from Work

[13:55 – 18:36]

• Best outcomes when entire teams—not just CEOs—adopt the platform.
  • “Our best customers, the whole team uses it.” — Scott [13:55]
• Data-driven systems reduce clouded decision-making from daily emotional states.
  • “We underestimate how much we just let our current emotional state cloud our discussions…” [14:52]
• Drawing on Layla Hormozi’s advice: “F your feelings, follow the plan.” Creating and following systematic routines allows for performance on “bad days.”
  • “I don't think you're ever as a human going to be able to take out all of your emotion. But… take the cognitive load off of your brain…” — Scott [16:54]
• The importance of automatic habits—like wearing the same clothes daily—to conserve decision-making energy.

Fashion, Perception & Workplace Success

[18:36 – 21:53]

• Tangent on simplicity in tech workers’ wardrobes as cognitive offloading.
• Appearance matters: “To a table, to a person, it was always the best dressed person” identified as most senior. [21:12]

Metrics, Standards, and Growth Focus

[22:08 – 24:08]

• ResultMaps acts like a “GPS” for business—clarify vision, core values, targets, and standards.
• The fundamental “atomic unit” is action items—with a personal command center (prioritizer) for daily focus.
  • “You're only going to get three done in a good day, maybe you'll get five, but I'd argue… if you're starting to get 10 done, you might start seeing the impact of those go down.” — Scott [23:40]
• The software pushes for less activity, more focus—obsess about what matters.

Competing with Standard Project Management Tools

[24:08 – 25:47]

• ResultMaps integrates with ClickUp, Asana, Notion, etc., but differs by focusing on results and decisions, not just processing tasks.
  • “Task-based systems… they assume every task must get done…[but] the highest impact activities may not require a lot of tasks.” — Scott [22:59]

How Top Operators Think Differently

[26:48 – 29:41]

• Best operators keep laser focus, have very few goals (ideally one, maybe two).
  • “Pick one, maybe a second goal and organize around that…” — Scott [27:09]
• Avoid cascading goals through too many levels; cut dependency chains.
• Embrace “agile” principles: Focus on the result, remain flexible in the approach.

Core Themes & Notable Frameworks

Monumental Thinking vs. Incremental Band-Aids

[29:41 – 32:08]

• Focus on the “one big thing” that triggers cascading improvements, instead of patching problems with small hacks.
• “When I went back to starting to really learn that principle… what's the one big thing? That if we focused on the one big thing, cascades all of the ripple effects.” — Savannah [29:47]

Every Department Needs a Key Metric

[31:40 – 32:43]

• Even “unmeasurable” departments can and should define a key metric.
• Metrics are an emotional buffer and management tool:
  • “The more you can reduce it to something you can measure, the better you can manage it.” — Scott [32:39]

ResultMaps’ Key Metric: MRR

[32:47 – 35:12]

• Growth is Scott's single key goal for ResultMaps; MRR (monthly recurring revenue) is the core metric.
• Maintaining a “support loop” with clients keeps ResultMaps attuned to operational challenges and needs.

Common Execution Traps & Misconceptions

Decent People, Train Wreck Ops

[35:12 – 37:19]

• "Decent people create train wrecks through poor operations."
  • Causes: lack of focus, failure to niche, constant pivots, lack of practical leadership education, poor context/clarity.
  • “Most of the time nobody teaches us this stuff…if people have real context…and real clarity…it nips so much stuff in the bud.” — Scott [36:10]
• Misuse of frameworks (like SMART goals) is rampant—many are mis-applied or based on misunderstood origins.

Consulting, Support, and Operator Quality

[37:19 – 40:44]

• Options range from self-serve to group coaching to high-touch integration, especially for larger, fast-past companies.
• Rarely does Scott encounter the “wrong operator”—more often, issues are about clarity on roles/expectations.
  • “If somebody doesn't ask me, I'm not going to tell them, oh, you've got the wrong person. But also would never do that anyway. What we would do is make them get clarity on what they expect from that seat.” — Scott [39:29]
• CEOs often expect too much from every role due to lack of clarity.

The Best CEO-COO Relationships

[40:44 – 43:28]

• Absolute clarity from CEO to COO about vision, desired outcomes, core metrics, and biggest issues is key.
  • “They give them absolute clarity, which is one reason I think Vivid Vision is so powerful.” — Scott [40:57]
• The visionary-integrator dynamic works when roles are clear and empowerment is present.
  • “You've got to empower them to take that role.” [43:14]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Scott on team focus:
  “People have way too many goals. And I think, I think all the literature out there just does it a disservice... Pick one, maybe a second goal and organize around that.” [27:00]

• On the emotional benefits of clear metrics:
  “Nothing has helped me deal with frustration and what I like to call poutyness… better than going, okay, what's the number that we can associate with this?” — Scott [32:10]

• On smart goals and widely misapplied frameworks:
  “Not to mention, it's just a weird thing. SMART goals are just weird. They're like a guy in a water treatment plant invented this acronym and everybody misquotes the A…” — Scott [36:45]

• On the root cause of operational train wrecks:
  “If people have real context on what the situation is and they have real clarity about the results you're trying to get... that nips so much stuff in the bud.” [36:10]

• On productivity traps:
  “We're too busy… we just don't have time for this right now. It's like you're telling me you don't have the time to prioritize right now.” — Scott [43:44]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------|------------| | ResultMaps origin story and vision | 03:29–06:16| | AI’s impact on SMBs and operational agility | 07:05–09:22| | Favorite tools & AI-driven workflow improvements | 09:22–11:46| | Pulling out a leader’s vision, onboarding in minutes | 12:02–13:55| | On wearing the same clothes, reducing cognitive load | 16:54–18:36| | Metrics and the problem with task-based systems | 22:08–25:47| | How top operators approach goals | 26:48–29:41| | The one-key-metric concept for every department | 31:40–32:43| | “Decent people create train wrecks…” discussion | 35:12–37:19| | CEO–COO clarity, empowerment and vivid vision | 40:44–43:28| | The #1 objection: “We’re too busy for this” | 43:28–45:00| | Who’s most excited to adopt ResultMaps | 45:14–47:16| | Innovations & AI excitement for the next six months | 47:16–49:15|

Closing Thoughts

Scott emphasizes that the true lever for operational excellence isn’t just doing more—it’s clarifying what matters, obsessing over fewer priorities, removing as much emotional/cognitive friction as possible, and focusing the team on measurable result. Technology and systems are powerful when they support clarity and focus, not just busyness. And for growing companies, the difference between success and exhaustion is having the courage to pause, clarify, and choose what not to do.

Contact Scott: resultmaps.com or LinkedIn (Scott I Levy)