Systems Simplified

Leslie Harpole is the Co-owner of Champion Plumbing, a residential plumbing service business she started with her husband, Brent. The company services Oklahoma City and the surrounding areas. After leaving her job as a Land Technician at Red Sky Land, LLC, Leslie channeled her passion for her community and other local businesses to start Champion Plumbing. In this episode: While technical systems and processes are integral to a company’s operational efficiency, support systems allow entrepreneurs to build and scale their businesses. Learn how a network of supportive consultants and executives helped a trade entrepreneur advance her passion.  As a tenacious tradeswoman managing a plumbing company with her husband, Leslie Harpole channels her strategic drive and personal and professional support systems to build her business into an influential empire for her family and the community. But business challenges can interfere with your personal life, so Leslie urges you to divide time between your family and strategic idea-sharing with your support network. In today’s episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit hosts Leslie Harpole, the Co-owner of Champion Plumbing, who shares her passion for building a lasting business in the trades. Leslie talks about her inspiration to launch a podcast, how she founded and scaled Champion Plumbing, and the difficulties of managing a company with a spouse.

Todd Taskey has been an entrepreneur, business owner, investment banker, and business finance advisor for over 20 years. He is the M&A Advisor at Potomac Business Capital, where he helps CEOs and entrepreneurs maximize their company’s value and develop a successful exit strategy. His specialties include M&A, strategic acquisition, divestitures, and more. In addition to his role at Potomac Business Capital, Todd is an angel investor at multiple companies, including Zoomph, Whitebox Inc, and RightEye LLC. He is also the host of the Second Bite Podcast, where he talks with top CEOs and entrepreneurs about creating valuable companies through creative transactions.  In this episode: One of entrepreneurs’ standard desires is attaining the freedom to work when and where they want. Selling and exiting your business is a viable option, but it requires extensive due diligence and a systematic process to execute effectively. How can you source and finalize optimal acquisitions? According to seasoned M&A advisor Todd Taskey, the buyer acquires 100% of the business in an ideal transaction while the seller maintains equity in the new company. This can be accomplished through a private equity acquisition or by partnering with a company that specializes in your industry. Before executing any deal, Todd emphasizes maintaining your organization’s quality by implementing processes to systematize operations and finances. In today’s episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit is joined by Todd Taskey, the M&A Advisor at Potomac Business Capital, who details the components of a successful business transaction. Todd also explains how to evaluate potential companies for acquisition, the road to post-acquisition freedom, and the ideal time to exit a business.

Alex Rodriguez is the President of YMMY Marketing, a creative lead-generation agency. He helps growth-oriented businesses acquire intent-filled leads and revenue opportunities. As a speaker and creative strategist, Alex has over two decades of experience generating leads. He is also the author of the best-selling book Digital Bacon and Sell You Before You Sell. In this episode: When it comes to lead generation, marketers and business owners often invest in digital or social media advertising arbitrarily, lacking a well-defined strategy and losing potential clients in the process. Today’s guest shares proven systems to engage and generate qualified leads. According to seasoned marketer Alex Rodriguez, the main objective of lead generation is to deliver value to potential customers or clients. When prospects display interest in your product or service, you can identify a need or problem they face and offer affordable and low-friction solutions. The lead generation process involves advertising on three channels. Marketing on organic channels like podcasts boosts discovery and brand awareness, while paid digital channels allow you to share common customer experiences. By combining these channels with personal channels like your website, you can assess lead engagement and ROI effectively. In this episode of Systems Simplified, the President of YMMY Marketing, Alex Rodriguez, joins Adi Klevit to talk about profitable lead generation systems. Alex describes the value of intent-based leads, the do’s and don’ts of paid lead generation, and automated systems for lead engagement.

Victor Nunnemaker is the Founder and Investor at Digital Porcupine, a website investing in the digital revolution. He is also the President-Elect of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) San Francisco. With over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, Victor has held executive positions in public and private high-tech, biotech, and startups in Silicon Valley. As an avid investor in SaaS and other digital companies, his returns have exceeded 10x the average of their market indexes. In this episode: People often believe that business owners are born successful. But entrepreneurs who have built companies from scratch have lived through adversity. How can you scale and exit your business to achieve full financial freedom? After being raised in poverty and having launched, sold, and exited several successful businesses, Victor Nunnemaker is no stranger to hardships. His four-step system for entrepreneurship involves survival, stability, success, and service. Establishing and selling a company with those key components requires embracing your adversities, taking the initial step to execute your ideas, gaining financial clarity, and implementing systems and processes to prepare for a sale. Tune in to this episode of Systems Simplified as Victor Nunnemaker, Digital Porcupine’s Founder and Investor, joins Adi Klevit to talk about the systems for a rewarding entrepreneurial journey. Victor shares his habits for success, how he remains goal-oriented, and the value of intentionality and learning from others.

Brett Trembly is the Co-founder and CEO of Get Staffed Up, a staffing agency helping lawyers at small and mid-size firms hire off-shore, full-time virtual assistants. He is also the Founding Partner of Trembly Law Firm, where he resolves businesses’ legal issues. As a practicing lawyer, Brett has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in Florida for three years and is the former President of the Miami Kendall Bar Association. In this episode: Startup entrepreneurs often take on multiple responsibilities while scaling their companies simultaneously. Consequently, they find themselves in an endless cycle, unable to catch up. How can you delegate your tasks to qualified professionals? According to attorney and recruitment expert Brett Trembly, time is an entrepreneur’s most valuable asset. He has developed a 24-month hiring process for business owners to protect their time and focus on growth. This roadmap involves hiring virtual assistants gradually and systematically, beginning with an executive assistant to relieve you of minute tasks. From there, you should hire a receptionist, a marketing assistant to develop a system for generating conversions, an intake coordinator, a billing clerk, a secretary, and a client concierge.  In this episode of Systems Simplified, Brett Trembly, the Co-founder and CEO of Get Staffed Up, is back to speak with Adi Klevit about developing a hiring system for business growth and freedom. Brett talks about the business principles outlined in his book, how to reshape your perspective about delegating, and the role of a client concierge.

Jamie Royce is the Founder and CEO of MindCloud, a software company that builds and maintains custom connections between software and other platforms. He is also the Owner of Royce Enterprises, LLC, which works with companies to build tailored software solutions. With over 25 years of software engineering and sales leadership experience, Jamie helps business leaders scale with automated workflows.  In this episode: In many organizations, data is scattered throughout multiple software systems, and integrating it necessitates frequent transfers. But most software isn’t homogenized to handle the demand, and staff are stuck in the minutiae of repetitive tasks. How can you streamline communication between software systems and automate your workflow processes? Manual workflows can cause errors when team members input duplicate or incorrect data from disconnected software systems. To avoid data silos, software enthusiast Jamie Royce says to develop a process that identifies the workflows that must be automated. But this process can become jumbled if your software isn’t integrated together, so Jamie advises grouping these systems by function to minimize redundancies.  In this episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit interviews MindCloud’s Founder and CEO, Jamie Royce, about automating workflows and integrating software systems. Jamie explains how automation leads to increased efficiency and profitability, frequent data automation challenges, and common use cases for automation.

Greg Crabtree, CPA, is the Founder of CRI Simple Numbers, a business profitability consulting and advisory firm providing tax and accounting services to entrepreneurs and businesses. As a serial entrepreneur, he founded Crabtree, Rowe & Berger, PC, an accounting firm focused on entrepreneurs’ business needs and growth strategies, which merged with CRI in 2019. Greg is the co-author of Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits, which covers core principles for building business wealth. In this episode: Most entrepreneurs aren’t financially savvy. When determining their company’s profitability, they often analyze inaccurate data without understanding its implications. What metrics should you evaluate to develop a simple system for scaling your business? As a CPA and financial strategies expert, Greg Crabtree knows that focusing solely on revenue is futile. Instead, businesses must measure and optimize gross profit margins by calculating revenue and subtracting associated costs. Your ideal gross profit margin should be $2 for every dollar of labor, so you must maximize productivity and efficiency to maintain your profit goals. Greg recommends creating a system that incorporates these metrics for operational success. Greg Crabtree, the Founder of CRI Simple Numbers, joins Adi Klevit in this episode of Systems Simplified for a conversation about gross profit margins. Greg talks about the importance of optimizing price, productivity, and people, his processes for increasing cash flow and labor efficiency, and fundamental financial metrics.

Ruben Dua is the Founder and CEO of Dubb, a sales operating system that helps small and medium-sized businesses to Fortune 500 teams scale revenue with the power of data, automation, and video. Ruben hosts Connection Loop, an interview-style show that helps business people improve their branding, sales, marketing, and communication. He is also the author of Click Record: How Overcoming Fear, Storytelling, and Video Marketing Can Change Your Life. Before Dubb, Ruben was responsible for demand generation and corporate marketing for the enterprise segment of Scorpion. In this episode: When marketing a business, many entrepreneurs are apprehensive about conducting outreach strategies, especially if they involve cold-calling or emailing. But even more uncomfortable is video marketing, as many fear public speaking. How can you develop thorough systems and processes for marketing and outreach? Video marketing enthusiast Ruben Dua says that trepidations about cold outreaches and messaging can be eliminated through personal connections. For outreach and follow-up processes, this means delivering value by displaying empathy and understanding the client’s needs and problems. This may involve communicating through multiple channels to expand your reach. To enhance your video marketing, Ruben emphasizes remaining consistent and persistent in your efforts. Developing authentic scripting and calls-to-action are also crucial in this process. Listen to this episode of Systems Simplified as Adi Klevit sits down with Ruben Dua, the Founder and CEO of Dubb, to discuss video marketing and outreach tips. Ruben shares entrepreneurs’ most common video marketing mistakes, how to conduct sales follow-ups, and how the Dubb tool encourages personal connections.

Jason Swenk is the Agency Advisor, Coach, and Mentor at Agency Mastery 360, which guides agencies through a proven framework to scale easier and faster. As one of the world’s most sought-after advisors for agencies, he has developed an eight-system framework for growing two agencies from nothing to eight figures helping brands like AT&T and Hitachi. Jason hosts the Smart Agency Masterclass, the #1 podcast for digital marketing agency owners. In this episode: For digital marketing agencies, scaling to over $1 million in revenue is complex and intricate. It requires implementing sound processes to build trust, sell your services, and generate leads. Today’s guest offers demonstrated systems for growing your agency to eight figures and beyond. As one of the world’s most trusted agency advisors, Jason Swenk has built, scaled, or sold two top-performing agencies using his tried-and-true eight-step process. When starting out, it’s essential to identify and communicate a growth vision to your team. This allows you to position your business effectively to your target audience and craft an offer that demonstrates value. Referrals are no longer viable in the next stage of growth, so you must form strategic partnerships to generate a steady flow of leads. Strategic scaling also necessitates replicating reliable sales systems, enhancing operations, and motivating leadership teams. In this episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit welcomes Jason Swenk, the Agency Advisor, Coach, and Mentor at Agency Mastery 360, who shares proprietary, actionable agency growth systems. Jason talks about his journey to agency ownership, how he scaled his agency from zero to eight figures, and his eight-step agency scaling process.

Phil Smith is the CEO of All in One Marketing, which helps companies scale their digital marketing efforts. He is also a serial entrepreneur, speaker, author, and lead generation and digital marketing consultant. With 25 years of entrepreneurial experience, Phil has sold four companies and consulted for large corporations, including IBM, Intel, AT&T, and HP. In this episode: Lead generation can be overwhelming. You must identify relevant prospective customers for your sales funnel. Learn proven lead generation systems from a nationally recognized serial entrepreneur. For digital marketing consultant Phil Smith, lead generation involves driving traffic and monetizing prospects by selling pertinent products and services. The foundational processes for this business growth method entail filtering qualified leads that align with your business goals, implementing targeted messaging, creating systems for automated marketing strategies, and measuring conversion rates. Tune in to this episode of Systems Simplified as Adi Klevit hosts Phil Smith, CEO of All in One Marketing, who shares proprietary lead generation systems. Phil discusses how he manages a single-employee company, how to follow up with leads, and his ideal client base.

Lisa Catto is the CEO of The Business Catalyst, a leading independent automation company strategizing the design and implementation of the customer journey. With over 25 years of experience in digital marketing, Lisa has worked on campaigns for prominent brands, including Adidas, Nestle, Kellogg’s, Quaker, and Sony. As a Keap Certified partner, Lisa designs, implements, and manages campaigns and strategies to help businesses streamline their CRMs, sales funnels, and marketing. In this episode: If you want to grow your sales business, implementing consistent processes and hiring strategic partners to execute them is critical. So how can you boost efficiency in your firm? As a productivity and automation aficionado, Lisa Catto advises forging intentional alliances with executives who share your values, align with your culture, and complement your skills. This ensures you can document and apply organized systems. When creating these procedures, Lisa says to identify inefficient areas and provide team accountability to ensure follow-through. In this episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit welcomes Lisa Catto, the CEO of The Business Catalyst, who shares tactical processes for maximizing company efficiency. Lisa talks about her team buy-in strategies, how to align strategic partners with business culture, and proprietary systems for relationship-building.

Andrea Heuston is the Founder and CEO of Artitudes, a 100% woman-owned, full-service, creative communications firm helping executives lead powerful branded speaking engagements. She is also the Founder and CEO of the Lead Like a Woman podcast and movement, which elevates inspiring women leaders’ voices. As an entrepreneur, bestselling author, speaking coach, and keynote speaker, Andrea has spent 20 years coaching founders, leaders, and executives at Fortune 500 companies to build captivated audiences.  In this episode: When building a business, most entrepreneurs are either visionaries or integrators — those who plan ideas and those who execute them. Visionaries often lack the conviction to adopt processes for effective implementation. Today’s guest shares how she harnessed her passion to overcome reservations about systems and processes. After developing a speaker platform to elevate women leaders, entrepreneur and leadership facilitator Andrea Heuston outsourced a development team and an executive assistant to launch the platform. But with a predetermined mission and specified guidelines, Andrea recognized the importance of transparent communication and processes. Establishing well-documented and defined systems allows you to delegate tasks to focus on your passions. In this episode of Systems Simplified, Andrea Heuston, the Founder and CEO of Artitudes and Lead Like a Woman, joins Adi Klevit to explain how she aligned her passion with processes to build and scale multiple businesses. Andrea shares the genesis of the Lead Like a Woman SpeakHer platform, the importance of organized processes for effective communication, and her entrepreneurial journey.

Byron Wolfe is the Founder of CFOAF, a fractional CFO services and business consultancy firm specializing in small businesses. He is also the CFO of Black Tie Moving, an Inc. 500 company and the fastest-growing, privately owned relocation business in the US. As a licensed CPA, Byron has over 14 years of analytical leadership experience in financial reporting, accounting, treasury, and human resources. He also serves as a fractional CFO for multiple companies in various industries, including construction, networking, the Metaverse, and content creation. In this episode: As small businesses reach the next stage of growth, they often become stagnant and lack adequate cash flow. This is because business owners focus too much on the minutiae of daily tasks rather than implementing systems to scale. How can you manage your expenses to sustain long-term profit? According to CPA, CFO, and serial entrepreneur Byron Wolfe, working on your business to scale requires recognizing that revenue includes expenses, whereas profit encompasses net income. Mitigating expenses to increase profit requires evaluating accounts payable, balance sheets, payroll, and tax liability. By balancing your cash flow with a strategic process, you can manage your time effectively to focus on KPIs and metrics for growth. In today’s episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit sits down with Byron Wolfe, the Founder of CFOAF, to chat about small business growth systems. Byron shares the definition of a fractional CFO, the difference between revenue and profit, and small business growth trends and barriers.

Rachel Guo is the Founder and CEO of Specialty Coaching Academy, which helps professional coaches and B2B consultants build a revenue-generating coaching business using LinkedIn. She grew the consultancy from $0 to $3 million with a 75% profit margin within 18 months. Before founding Specialty Coaching Academy, Rachel was a career coach and strategist at Elegance Enhanced Coaching.  In this episode: Do you want to grow your business exponentially with a steady lead system? Many entrepreneurs rely on referrals to acquire new customers. But this is a lengthy and undetermined process. How can you leverage outreach strategies instead? Professional coach and consultant Rachel Guo has developed a three-tiered process for generating leads through LinkedIn. First, identify and target your ideal client who can benefit from your services. It’s also critical to craft an enticing and relevant message that focuses on solving your audience’s core problem rather than pitching your services. Additionally, you can automate outreach campaigns to attain an optimal volume of messages and deliver results. In this episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit chats with Rachel Guo, the Founder and CEO of Specialty Coaching Academy, who shares systems for effective outreach campaigns on LinkedIn. Rachel discusses the barriers to client outreach efforts, how to scale a consultancy using LinkedIn, and automated versus personalized messaging.

Brett Knopf is the Founder of KnopfKnows Solutions, a performance coaching business where he works with CEOs, founders, sales leaders, and entrepreneurs. With over two decades of coaching experience, he helps individuals and companies elevate their leadership and sales skills to maximize personal effectiveness for optimal outcomes. He has coached thousands of sales professionals and leaders on building and maintaining a successful business through diverse strategies, including behavioral psychology, personal development, networking, and goal setting. In this episode: Most entrepreneurs perform on autopilot, completing daily tasks arbitrarily rather than maximizing their time to accomplish predetermined goals. What processes can you leverage to incorporate intentional activities into your day? Performance sales coach Brett Knopf has created a systematic approach to monitor and evaluate time management, productivity, and personal development. He advises documenting daily productive actions that align with long-term performance goals. This allows you to identify personal successes and areas of improvement to make appropriate adjustments. By making consistent efforts to systemize your calendar, you can reduce unproductive tasks, optimize efficiency, and make the most of your day. Join Adi Klevit in this episode of Systems Simplified as she sits down with Brett Knopf, the Founder of KnopfKnows Solutions, who shares productivity and time management tips and processes. Brett explains how to define personal success, minimize inefficiencies, and integrate productive tasks into your day.

Daniel (Dan) Bradbury is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Dan Bradbury Ltd, which helps business owners grow their personal wealth and profits by maximizing their business value. He is an investor specializing in accelerating growth for seven-figure companies to over $10 million in yearly revenue. With over 15 years of business experience, Dan has founded, built, and sold two companies for seven figures and purchased five other businesses. In this episode: Every business owner wants to scale, but not everyone is equipped to handle the demand. Augmenting organizational growth and value requires having a strategic business model, cultivating potential and ambition, and maintaining adaptability. What pragmatic systems can you implement to take your company to the next level? Investor, advisor, and serial entrepreneur Dan Bradbury counsels developing businesses with sound processes. He has created and executed a ten-step proprietary system for conquering growth barriers to strengthen value. Reducing financial risk and expense ratios and retaining existing customers safeguards your business and drives initial profit. As you scale systematically, you must raise your average order value, boost conversions, target your first-rate customers to encourage repeat purchases, and establish a continuous referral system. The final step in affirming growth is to engage in a roll-up merger, allowing you to scale to seven figures and beyond.  In today’s episode of Systems Simplified, Daniel (Dan) Bradbury, the Co-founder and Managing Director of Dan Bradbury Ltd, joins Adi Klevit to discuss strategic systems for business growth. Dan shares his criteria for investing in high-growth companies, why he launched a private equity group, and how to codify finances to mitigate risk.

Charles (Chuck) Bender is the Chief Executive Officer of Attentus Technologies, a leading managed IT services firm serving the Pacific Northwest. He is an experienced executive with a demonstrated history of working in the managed services and internet industries. Chuck is also the President of Skynet Broadband, a company that provides high-speed data, digital phone, and IT services to the Puget Sound region. He has been an active member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) for over two decades and serves as its US West Regional Chair.  In this episode: According to a study published in Inc. magazine, 95% of entrepreneurs say freedom is their favorite aspect of business ownership. Yet separating yourself from your business requires self-discipline and process documentation. Even McDonald’s has a replicated process for making its signature burgers and fries. How can you relinquish your tasks so your company can operate independently? Before embarking on an entrepreneurial adventure, established executive Chuck Bender says to identify your ideal lifestyle. This allows you to build your organization around that vision. Although many entrepreneurs hesitate to transfer operational control to their team, it’s essential to attain complete freedom. Chuck recommends defining your core values and pinpointing decisions that are exclusively yours. This allows you to empower your team to execute the remaining daily decisions. Additionally, process documentation streamlines problem-solving and effective decision-making, reflecting your values and accelerating growth in your absence. In this episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit speaks with Charles (Chuck) Bender, CEO of Attentus Technologies, about documenting procedures for entrepreneurial freedom. Chuck explains how to delegate tasks effectively, the creative process of entrepreneurship, and how he founded multiple companies.

Cindy Norcott is the Founder and CEO of Pro Talent, a multi-award-winning recruitment agency placing talent in various roles throughout international companies. She is also the Founder and Chairperson of the Robin Hood Foundation, a nonprofit organization running various charitable initiatives.  As a qualified business coach with 29 years of experience, Cindy has won numerous awards for business excellence, including the Small Business Marketer of the Year award and Entrepreneur of the Year. She is the best-selling author of How to Be Unstoppable and Achieve More in Business and Life, which motivates entrepreneurs to achieve their goals through focus and discipline. In this episode: In a scarce talent market, companies often sacrifice culture for skill, hiring only top executives in specialized disciplines to avoid expending valuable resources on training programs. But this harms organizations long-term. What processes can you apply to ensure an effective recruitment strategy? Hiring and recruitment specialist Cindy Norcott’s foremost rule is to hire for culture and train for skill. Documenting and systematizing your core values sets fundamental expectations for potential candidates and new hires, allowing you to evaluate and onboard them accordingly. While acquiring industry experts for each position is unnecessary, prospective employees should possess foundational skills. This enables you to implement systems to develop a comprehensive induction and training program that simplifies the process. The CEO of Pro Talent, Cindy Norcott, is Adi Klevit’s guest in this episode of Systems Simplified, where they share systems for effective hiring and recruiting. Cindy describes her processes for internal business organization, the universal traits of high-performing entrepreneurs, and key criteria for hiring.

David (Dave) Valentine is the CEO of Avadel, an agency that helps people connect with their ideal prospective clients. He owns seven businesses that have collectively generated over $1 billion for over 1,000 clients, including major brands and Fortune 100 companies like Target, Time magazine, and American Express. Having risked a heart attack from burnout at age 29, Dave realized he needed to scale his businesses without being overwhelmed by stress. Merging conscious capitalism with an unconventional marketing approach, Dave has rapidly grown his businesses by investing in people rather than paid advertising. In this episode: If you own multiple businesses, you’ve likely experienced significant stress and burnout from managing operations independently. What incremental processes can you implement to relinquish your businesses in exchange for freedom and flexibility? After being warned of the risk of a heart attack shortly before age 30, serial entrepreneur Dave Valentine began implementing systems for networking, lead generation, sales, and operations to gain freedom from his daily responsibilities. He provides personalized value to potential clients through thoughtful and intentional interactions. Dave also recommends integrating automated processes for lead generation, hiring sales professionals to acquire new clients, and documenting standard operating procedures to save time and enhance results. In this episode of Systems Simplified, Adi Klevit interviews Dave Valentine, the CEO of Avadel, about process implementation for business freedom. Dave talks about the importance of documenting procedures, his unconventional networking strategies, and how he acquired and scaled seven companies.

John Li is the Co-founder of PickFu, a DIY consumer research tool providing unbiased customer feedback to improve decision-making. He is also the Co-founder of Menuism, a community of online restaurant menus. As a former Program Manager and Software Design Engineer for Microsoft, John understands the importance of market research and the consumer’s voice.  In this episode: Consumers are the essence of any digital marketing and e-commerce business, and their insights determine product and campaign performance. What processes can you implement to leverage customer perspectives for sales and revenue growth? As an expert in market research, John Li recognizes the benefits of employing customer surveys and polls to generate feedback on business systems and ideas. When launching a new product, website, or marketing campaign, you can develop targeted survey questions that encourage consumers to vote on various options, harnessing the insights to create a customer-driven product or design that boosts sales. PickFu’s branded consumer insights process helps you identify a target demographic to analyze and apply relevant survey results. John Li, the Co-founder of PickFu, joins Adi Klevit in today’s Systems Simplified episode to discuss how to assess customer feedback to enhance your business. John explains the importance of integrating customer surveys into marketing campaigns, how businesses can benefit from the customer polling process, and how to develop targeted consumer messaging.