Summary

In this episode of the Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty speaks with Will Mazola, COO of Graytitude, about the importance of strategic partnerships in business growth, the nuances of mainframe modernization, and the launch of a new AI product. Will shares his journey from staffing and consulting to leading tech businesses, emphasizing the significance of relationships and the lessons learned from growth mistakes. The conversation also touches on the importance of founder-led visibility and the future goals of the company.

Takeaways

Strategic partnerships are essential for business growth.
Mainframe modernization is a niche but necessary service.
AI can help small businesses manage missed opportunities.
Building strong relationships is crucial in the tech industry.
You can't rely solely on one strategic partner.
Maintaining relationships requires effort and consistency.
Staying lean is important for cash flow management.
Founder-led visibility can enhance brand recognition.
Learning from mistakes is key to sustainable growth.
Entrepreneurs should act on their ideas without hesitation.

Titles

Unlocking Growth Through Strategic Partnerships
The Journey of Will Mazola in Tech Leadership

Sound Bites

"Missed calls are truly missed opportunities."
"If you're thinking of it, get in it."
"Stay the course, if you're thinking of it."

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Growth Focus Podcast
01:21 Will Mazzola's Entrepreneurial Journey
06:04 Understanding Mainframe Modernization
07:32 Innovating with AI Solutions
11:39 Growth Strategies and Sales Systems
16:13 The Importance of Relationships
19:48 Learning from Growth Mistakes
21:43 Founder-Led Visibility and Brand Growth
24:28 Future Goals and Priorities
26:46 Final Insights for Tech Founders
30:03 Growth Focus YouTube Video Intro (1).mp4

• (00:00:00) - Growth Focus: Strategic Partnerships
• (00:01:13) - How I Went From Consulting to Co-Leading Three Tech Companies
• (00:06:04) - IBM's Mainframe Modernization
• (00:07:33) - WSJD Live: Our New AI Product
• (00:11:18) - WSJD Live: Lead Generation and Pipeline Growth
• (00:12:30) - Channel Partners: How Strategic Partners Drive Growth
• (00:13:57) - Are Strategic Partners Necessary?
• (00:15:57) - Exploring the Need for Relationships in the Industry
• (00:16:29) - Relationships in the Digital World
• (00:19:48) - Reasons to Stay Lean and Expensive
• (00:22:48) - Marathon Engineering: Standing Above the Noise
• (00:24:45) - Top Executives
• (00:26:30) - Growth Focus: One Insight that I Wish More Tech Founders Would

• (00:00:00) - Growing Your Tech Company
• (00:01:06) - In the Elevator With Radius Agent and AI
• (00:01:57) - In the Elevator With Radius CEO Adam Levine
• (00:02:48) - How Radius Helped Real Estate Agents Start Their Own Firm
• (00:06:24) - Gary Real Estate Tech: White Labeling
• (00:10:13) - How We Made Real Estate Companies Profitable
• (00:13:06) - What's Driving Tech's Growth?
• (00:15:14) - Hiring the Right Team
• (00:17:53) - Radius Real Estate's Growth Strategy
• (00:21:08) - In the Elevator: Founder Led Sales
• (00:25:11) - Excelerating Growth: What's Your Goal
• (00:26:15) - What's the Missing Piece to Get to Growth?
• (00:27:26) - White Label and the 30%
• (00:28:15) - Sustaining a Tech Startup
• (00:29:59) - Growth Focus: The Podcast

What happens when a former Uber engineering leader takes on real estate? You get Radius Agent - an AI-powered platform transforming how agents grow, close, and scale.

In this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, I sit down with Biju Ashokan, Co-Founder and CEO of Radius Agent, to talk about building a tech-driven real estate platform, leading through uncertainty, and why his team is betting big on community-powered growth.

Biju previously led mobile engineering at Uber and has now raised over $19 million to reshape real estate for the modern agent.

This is a candid, insight-rich conversation for tech founders, agency leaders, and startup execs looking to scale fast, without losing their soul.

• (00:00:00) - How to Build a Fast-Growing Tech Company
• (00:01:06) - Interviews with Radius Agent Bijou
• (00:01:57) - In the Elevator With Radius's Founder
• (00:02:48) - How Real Estate Team Leaders Got Involved at Radius
• (00:06:20) - Gary Real Estate Tech: White Labeling
• (00:10:13) - Bijou Real Estate: The Value of Our Solution
• (00:13:06) - What's the Growth Strategy for Your Company?
• (00:15:14) - Hiring the Right Team
• (00:17:53) - Radius Real Estate's Growth Strategy
• (00:21:08) - Reasons for Founder-Led Sales
• (00:25:11) - Excelerating Growth: What's Your Goal
• (00:26:15) - What's the Missing Piece to Our Growth Plan?
• (00:27:26) - On the 30% of Product Growth
• (00:28:15) - Sustaining a Tech Startup
• (00:29:59) - Growth Focus: The Podcast

In this episode, Gary Lafferty talks with Biju Ashokan, CEO of Radius Agent about scaling a platform business, leading in chaos, and building a mission that matters.

Radius Agent is on a mission to empower real estate professionals by giving them the tools, support, and AI-driven systems they need to grow, without sacrificing independence.

This episode is for any founder serious about team leadership, platform thinking, and tech-powered growth.

Inside this episode:

• Lessons for startup founders

• Why building trust is harder than building features

• How Radius Agent blends SaaS, services, and community

• The psychology of early-stage scaling

• What startup CEOs really need to focus on

• Why time is the most overlooked startup asset

Links:

• Gary Lafferty: growthfocus.io | LinkedIn

• Biju Ashokan: radiusagent.com | LinkedIn

Referrals aren’t magic. They’re a system.

On this episode of The Growth Focus Podcast, host Gary Lafferty sits down with Jeff Ernst, CEO and Founder of SlapFive, to explore the mechanics of building a predictable, referral-powered growth system for tech-based consultancies.

If you’re a founder or CEO still relying on “word of mouth” without a clear ask, this episode could unlock thousands in hidden revenue.

You’ll Learn

• Why most referral programs flop

• How to make the ask without sounding desperate

• What tech consultants must do differently

• How delivery → trust → pipeline

• Where to start if you’re a solo founder

Links
Gary Lafferty – growthfocus.io
Jeff Ernst – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffernst/

referral engine, tech consulting podcast, B2B growth, client referrals, consultancy marketing, founder marketing, B2B referrals, service business growth, how to grow tech business, referral sales tips

Churn is the silent killer in SaaS. In this episode, Gary Lafferty speaks with Nick Fogle, co-founder of Churnkey, about why most subscription-based businesses lose customers faster than they grow—and how to fix it.

You’ll learn:

• The psychology behind why users cancel

• How to stop involuntary churn (failed payments)

• Why personalized retention flows work better than generic ones

• What most founders miss about real LTV

For founders and CEOs of tech consultancies and SaaS companies looking to grow sustainably, this episode breaks down how to stop the revenue leak.

Links:
growthfocus.io
linkedin.com/in/growthfocus
churnkey.co
linkedin.com/in/nickfogle

SaaS growth, customer churn, churnkey, subscription retention, B2B podcast, tech CEO advice, reduce churn, tech founder strategies, cancel flow optimization, LTV growth

In this episode, Gary Lafferty talks with Will Mazola, COO of Graytitude, about building a bootstrapped tech business that thrives on relationships, not just revenue.

If you’re a founder or tech executive trying to figure out:

• How to build channel partnerships that actually convert

• How to grow without overspending

• What it really takes to launch an AI product

• And how to scale while staying lean...

...this episode gives you straight answers.

Will shares lessons from starting three tech businesses, the trap of chasing booths and paid ads, and why showing up as a founder is still the best visibility strategy out there.

Why listen:
→ Learn how Graytitude is modernizing mainframes and building a new AI platform
→ Hear practical tactics for forming channel partnerships
→ Get honest insights on founder mistakes and growth lessons

Links:

• Gary Lafferty: growthfocus.io | LinkedIn

• Will Mazola: graytitude.com | LinkedIn

Gary Lafferty sits down with David Slavich, co-founder of iCustomer, to explore how tech founders can break early-stage revenue ceilings by combining data-driven decision-making with creative go-to-market strategies.

If you’re a founder or CEO of a tech consultancy, SaaS company, or enterprise IT firm, this episode will give you actionable insights into:

• Pivoting products to unlock new markets

• Leveraging LinkedIn content that actually generates interest

• Scaling smarter with decision intelligence platforms

• Overcoming founder bottlenecks and avoiding the “Field of Dreams” trap

Why Listen:
Discover how real-world experience across finance, global infrastructure, and tech startups led David to create a composable decision intelligence platform that transforms complex data into actionable growth strategies.

Key Links:

• Gary Lafferty: growthfocus.io | LinkedIn

• David Slavich & iCustomer: iCustomer.ai | Email: david@icustomer.ai

Listen, learn, and turn conversations into clients with The Growth Focus Podcast.