Are your current growth strategies actually increasing your business worth—or are hidden constraints quietly keeping you stuck as your company scales?
If you’re feeling stretched thin, hitting growth ceilings, or wondering why scaling feels harder than it should—this episode is for you. Carl Gould breaks down the real stages of business growth and the predictable pinch points that trip up founders, especially as AI disruption accelerates change and raises the bar for how companies scale, systemize, and create long-term value.
By listening, you’ll walk away with:
-
A clear framework for identifying exactly where your business is stuck—and what that says about your next growth move
-
Practical insight into how to shift from founder-driven hustle to scalable systems without killing momentum
-
A sharper understanding of how to build a company that’s not just growing, but increasing in enterprise value and exit readiness
Hit play now and steal proven growth strategies that help you scale smarter, protect your time, and build a business that’s actually worth more at every stage.
From Founder Hustle to Scalable Growth Strategies
[02:10] – Jim introduces Carl Gould and tees up the core conversation: why growth isn’t random, and how most businesses hit predictable constraints as they scale.
[06:45] – Carl shares how a career-ending injury led him into entrepreneurship—and why real-world experience, not theory, shaped his approach to advising business owners.
[11:30] – The origin of Carl’s coaching career and how repeated conversations with contractors revealed the same challenges showing up across industries.
[16:40] – A breakdown of Stage 1 and Stage 2: why strategic planning and true specialization matter if you want pricing power and sustainable growth strategies.
[21:55] – Carl explains why “doing the work” isn’t the same as running a business—and how most founders underestimate the non-core work that determines success.
Increasing Business Worth in an Era of AI Disruption
[27:30] – Stage 3 is revealed as the “graveyard of small business,” where ego, control, and fear of delegation quietly stall growth.
[32:50] – Why systems feel restrictive—but are essential—and how consistency (not creativity) is what customers actually pay for as businesses scale.
[38:15] – Carl explains how companies move from being known for what they do to being known for how they do it, increasing brand value and long-term business worth.
[44:40] – A practical look at Stage 6: the three leadership roles every owner must replace themselves with to build a sellable, investor-ready company.
[51:20] – The final stage of succession, legacy leadership, and why AI disruption is making owner-independence and scalable leadership more critical than ever.
About Carl Gould
Carl Gould is a globally recognized authority on business growth and entrepreneurship who built three multi-million-dollar companies by age 40. He is the Chief Growth Advisor at 7 Stage Advisors and has mentored the launch and scaling of over 5,000 businesses, with his methodologies now used in 35 countries and by more than 7,000 certified coaches worldwide. A multi-award-winning author and speaker, Carl co-authored Blueprint for Success with Stephen R. Covey and Ken Blanchard and wrote the bestselling The 7 Stages of Small Business Success. Known for his high-energy, real-world approach, he has delivered over 1,200 keynote speeches and lectures at institutions including MIT and Rutgers.