Scaling in the messy middle feels heavier than it should. You are trying to scale, but you are still stuck in the day-to-day. Growth increases revenue, but weak systems, leadership gaps, and cash pressure turn the owner into the bottleneck. Without stronger systems and a stronger team, scaling slows and profit gets squeezed.

In this episode of Self-Made Is a Myth, Coach Tim Campsall sits down with Josh, CEO of Wildman Business Group, to unpack what happens when a company doubles revenue but leadership capacity, systems, and financial discipline have not caught up. Scaling requires more than effort. It requires mature systems, a capable team, and visibility into profit and cash flow. Without those, growth creates stress, pulls the owner back into operations, and reinforces the owner bottleneck.

Josh shares how stepping into ownership during a highly leveraged acquisition forced him to understand cash flow at a deeper level. Sleepless nights wondering if payroll would clear revealed how scaling without financial visibility can threaten profit and long-term stability. As revenue doubled, the business encountered new talent gaps. Senior leadership roles the company had never hired for before became essential to continue scaling without the owner staying stuck in the day-to-day.

This is the messy middle. The hustle and grind that built the company no longer works. Hero leadership and overfunctioning prevent the team from fully owning outcomes. When the owner keeps saving the day, systems do not mature, accountability weakens, and the bottleneck remains. Scaling requires standardized systems, stronger leadership, and a team that can deliver results without constant owner intervention.

⸻

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why scaling without financial discipline threatens profit
• How talent gaps quietly reinforce the owner bottleneck
• Why being stuck in the day-to-day blocks scaling
• How standardized systems unlock sustainable growth
• The leadership shift required to scale beyond hustle
• How coaching helps owners break isolation and build stronger teams

⸻

Looking To Scale Your Business:

Did you know that only 9% of businesses make it to $1,000,000 in revenue and less than 1% reach $10,000,000. The hustle and grind that got you to $1,000,000 will not get you beyond it. To scale past the Messy Middle, you need stronger systems, clearer structure, and disciplined execution. Book a Discovery Call to see how our ActionCOACH Business Operating System (ABoS) and coaching help you get unstuck and move toward sustainable scaling so you can achieve your personal dreams and business goals. https://tbcactioncoach.com/discovery-zoom-call/

Sign up for our weekly business tips https://tbcactioncoach.com/resources/email-signup/

⸻

Timestamps:

(00:00) The biggest growth constraint: people and cash
(02:00) Stepping into ownership during high leverage
(06:00) Cash flow stress and payroll pressure
(09:30) Doubling revenue and emerging talent gaps
(11:00) Hiring senior leaders to continue scaling
(14:30) The messy middle and infrastructure bottlenecks
(16:00) From hero leadership to standardized systems
(20:30) Letting the team grow without rescuing
(26:00) Leading through crisis without becoming the bottleneck

⸻