The Ops Experts Club Podcast

Episode 75: Lessons in Smart Scaling and Strategic Partnerships

Date: July 24, 2025
Hosts: Aaron, Taryn, Savannah (The Collab Team)

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into what it takes to scale 7- and 8-figure privately launched businesses, with a special focus on operations, smart expansion, and leveraging strategic partnerships. The Collab Team reflects on lessons learned working with powerhouse entrepreneurs and unpacks behind-the-scenes operational strategies. With illustrative stories (notably from guest Mark Zook of Stoltzfus and Horizon Structures), the discussion brings to life the concepts of identifying business and customer adjacents, keeping a sharp focus on your core offering, and creating win-win affiliate relationships.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unique Challenge of Mondays for Operators

• Visionary vs. Operator Energy: Mondays bring a flood of new ideas from visionaries, which can overwhelm operations teams already busy implementing last week’s initiatives.
• Pro Tip: Don’t do key team meetings on Mondays; use that day for recalibration, and schedule them for Tuesday instead.
  • Quote:

    “Don’t do your all-team meeting on Mondays. Give your team a break… Everybody’s ready for all the questions you might have by Tuesday.”
    — Aaron (02:45)

2. The Power of Knowing and Guarding Your Core Offering

• Importance of Focus: Scaling starts with a robust, profitable core offer. Don’t dilute it by chasing every new shiny thing.
• Assessment: Always determine if you have resources to try something new without negatively impacting what already works.
  • Quote:

    “Be careful not to take your eye off the thing that really works… Is that really going to be as good as what we know is working really well for us?”
    — Aaron (07:10)

  • Quote:

    “Are you making more money than you’re spending? That’s a pretty good telltale sign if you’re working or not.”
    — Taryn (08:50)

3. Business Adjacency: Expanding Smartly

• Spot Opportunities Close to Your Strengths: Leverage expertise and existing systems to create side-businesses that don’t stretch resources too thin.
• Example:
  • Stoltzfus & Horizon Structures:
    • Stoltzfus—Amish-built structures for customers (core business)
    • Horizon—Pass-through sales of products built by partners, not in-house (business adjacent; zero fulfillment overhead)
    • Quote:

      “He was able to make partnerships… where products are offered that other people are selling… without necessarily breaking my core business.”
      — Aaron (05:45, 12:40)

  • CoLab Team x Coffee in Belize:
    • Used consulting expertise to launch first drive-thru coffee in Belize and then started supplying energy drinks/blending powders through a coalition, capitalizing on existing knowledge and client network.
      • Quote:

        “I thought to myself, I really love the country of Belize… What if I took all this knowledge… and start a business adjacent?”
        — Aaron (13:49)

4. Customer Adjacency: Serving “Cousin” Avatars

• Create Offers for Unexpected Audiences: Listen for repeated requests from non-target customers and strategically serve them via spin-off or quick-win products.
  • Example:
    • Early Life Nutrition Alliance: Originally for dietitians, found other healthcare pros were interested and made small variants for them without shifting the main offer.
    • Quote:

      “What can you be creating that might not be your ideal customer, but can be a quick win…?”
      — Taryn (16:25)

5. Strategic Partnerships & Affiliate Models

• Referral and Affiliate Networks: Call in partners for complementary services, generating extra revenue without having to build or fulfill every offer yourself.
  • Practical Example:
    • CoLab doesn’t build websites ("we don’t do sexy"), but partners with creative agencies and refers business, earning affiliate income.
      • Quote:

        “We’re a one-stop op shop… but we don’t do anything sexy. Meaning we don’t do graphics, we don’t do website build outs… you’re going to want a marketing shop for that.”
        — Aaron (10:45)

  • The Win-Win-Win Formula:
    • Referrer gets an affiliate cut, the partner gets qualified leads, and customers get better solutions.
    • Use joint webinars, shared email campaigns, and “quiet list” revival as profit opportunities.
      • Quote:

        “If you’ve been building a list over time… why don’t you partner with somebody that might bring in an offering different than yours?”
        — Aaron (17:42, 19:41)

    • Podcast sponsorships (promo codes) are the basic, everyday affiliate model in action.

6. Memorable Lessons from Guest Mark Zook

• Blending Traditional and Modern: Mark bridges the Amish building tradition with savvy online marketing and distribution, opening new revenue streams by being a connector.
• Trust and Community as Business Leverage: Using deep relationships within the Amish/Mennonite community to extend offerings and delivery nationwide.

7. The Ops Experts’ Key Scaling Takeaways

• Identify, protect, and optimize your “magic” core offer before branching out.
• Scout business and customer adjacents for low-lift, high-impact expansion.
• Use partnerships and affiliate/referral strategies to capture additional revenue without distraction or dilution.
• Routinely assess if your expansions are actually supporting, not endangering, your foundational business.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Team Operations:

  “Operators out there… We always advocate for visionaries: don’t do your all-team meeting on Mondays… Tuesday gives them time to calibrate.”
  — Aaron (02:45)

• On Business Expansion:

  “Sometimes an opportunity comes up… something you can’t really say no to… you just have the customers and you can have an opportunity show up.”
  — Taryn (08:50)

• On Partnerships:

  “Could I then partner with somebody that can make that same offering and I could make a rev share or an affiliate cut off their offering?”
  — Aaron (21:55)

• Lighthearted Moment:

  “Yes, Aaron, and my barn will be here soon. The order’s in.”
  — Taryn (22:59)

Important Timestamps

• 02:45 – Mondays for operators: why Tuesday is a better day for team meetings
• 05:23 – Case study: Mark Zook and leveraging community for scaling
• 07:10 – The imperative to know (and protect) your core offer
• 13:49 – Real-life example: Coffee consulting leading to business expansion in Belize
• 16:25 – Customer adjacency: Serving beyond your original avatar
• 19:41 – Affiliate/joint webinars for list monetization
• 21:55 – Summing up scaling lessons and the importance of Mark Zook’s approach

Episode in a Nutshell

The Collab Team emphasizes the delicate balance between laser focus on core competencies and the smart, systems-driven pursuit of new opportunities—be they adjacent businesses, untapped customer groups, or referral partnerships. The episode is studded with actionable insights, practical stories, and a collaborative, humorous tone that makes operational strategy both accessible and energizing.