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What if your business needs more expertise—but not necessarily another full-time hire?

In Episode 117 of the Business Building Blocks Podcast, Kristina Schmitt talks with Joe Valentic, Founder and CEO of Catholic Fractional Executive Services, about a different way businesses can access experienced leadership and specialized expertise.

Joe shares how fractional executive services can help organizations bring in experienced professionals on a recurring or project basis, whether they need help accelerating growth, filling a leadership gap, strengthening a specific function, or supporting a founder who has reached the point where they can't do everything themselves.

They explore:

• What fractional executive services actually mean
• How fractional leadership can help growing businesses
• When a business might benefit from fractional expertise
• Supporting founders who have become the bottleneck
• Filling executive roles during periods of transition
• Bringing experienced finance, marketing, operations, IT, AI, and sales expertise into an organization
• Why an outside perspective can help a business rethink how it's structured
• Working Genius and identifying the gifts and gaps within a team
• Joe's vision for building a Catholic economy

And then the conversation goes somewhere you might not expect from a discussion about business growth.

Joe and Kristina talk about prayer, discernment, faith, and the role of God's gifts in leadership.

Joe shares a simple phrase that captures much of his approach:

“Prayer is good for business.”

It's a conversation about getting the right help for your business while also asking a deeper question: How do we use the gifts we've been given to lead, serve, and build something meaningful?

🎧 Listen to the Business Building Blocks Podcast and explore more leadership resources at https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca/pocast

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YmQ2Eug7pak
Listen Here: The Help Your Business Needs with Joe Valentic

Connect wtih Joe Valentic
Website: https://catholicexecs.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-valentic
Email: joe@catholicexecs.com

#KristinaSchmittDevelopment #BusinessBuildingBlocksPodcast #BusinessGrowth #Leadership #FractionalExecutive #BusinessStrategy #WorkingGenius #FaithAndBusiness #CatholicLeadership #Entrepreneurship

✨Stay Connected with Kristina:
🌐Website: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca
📺YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@KristinaSchmittDevelopment
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💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-schmitt-development/
🚀Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinashmittdevelopment/

✨ Introducing Smooth Start: The New Hire Success Kit
A simple, proven framework to help leaders bring new hires up to speed in 90 days without adding more work to your calendar.
👉 Get the Smooth Start Kit — Only $97

📅 Ready to talk about how to build that kind of culture in your team or family? Book a free 30-minute consultation:
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Too busy for leadership? That may be exactly why your business needs leadership development right now. In this episode of the Business Building Blocks Podcast, Kristina Schmitt explores what actually changes when a business gets serious about leadership—and why waiting for things to “settle down” can keep you stuck in the same cycle of chaos.

Many business owners say they’ll work on leadership after the next project, after hiring another employee, after the busy season, or when the equipment problems finally calm down.

But what if some of the problems keeping you too busy are actually symptoms of leadership gaps?

Kristina breaks down common signs, including:

• Constant equipment breakdowns
• “He’s great, but…”
• Always being behind
• Lots of ideas but nothing getting implemented
• Working overtime all the time
• Nobody making decisions without you
• Constantly reminding people
• Poor communication
• Managers who aren't managing
• Constant interruptions
• Meetings without results
• Delegating work and eventually taking it back

She also explains what “working on leadership” actually means:

• Leader self-awareness
• Improved delegation
• Improved focus
• Better time management, goals, and strategy
• Improved feedback
• Improved communication

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Cayg4LBqRAI
Listen Here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2256331/episodes/19813483-why-being-too-busy-is-a-leadership-problem.mp3?download=true

Leadership isn't a project you complete. It's an operating discipline.

When leadership becomes intentional, the first change isn't necessarily revenue. The leader's day changes first. Then the team changes. Then the business changes.

Better leadership can lead to clearer expectations, greater ownership, stronger accountability, better execution, improved customer experience, and more capacity for growth.

The question to ask yourself is:

What is consuming my time right now?

Look honestly at your calendar and your day. Where are you firefighting? Where are you being interrupted? Where are people waiting for you? What keeps coming back to your desk?

Those may be clues about where your leadership systems need attention.

Learn more about Kristina Schmitt Development and the Leadership Operating System at kristinaschmitt.ca.

#LeadershipOperatingSystem #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessLeadership #BusinessGrowth #SmallBusinessLeadership #LeadershipTraining #BusinessStrategy #TeamDevelopment #KristinaSchmittDevelopment

✨Stay Connected with Kristina:
🌐Website: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca
📺YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@KristinaSchmittDevelopment
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinaschmitt.ca/
💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-schmitt-development/
🚀Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinashmittdevelopment/

✨ Introducing Smooth Start: The New Hire Success Kit
A simple, proven framework to help leaders bring new hires up to speed in 90 days without adding more work to your calendar.
👉 Get the Smooth Start Kit — Only $97

📅 Ready to talk about how to build that kind of culture in your team or family? Book a free 30-minute consultation:
https://tidycal.com/1gvq821/30-minute-meeting

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Unlock the blueprint for leadership success – download your FREE Ultimate Leadership FRAMEWORK: 7 Steps to Building a Successful...

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Every business runs on systems — whether you built them intentionally or not. In this episode, we explore the hidden leadership systems already shaping how your team communicates, trusts, and performs — and why most leaders don't even realize they're missing one.

Using the "dark hallway" story, we illustrate what it feels like for employees when feedback and direction are inconsistent: stress, hesitation, quiet quitting, or going rogue. Then we walk through what changes when a leader builds a real rhythm of check-ins, feedback, and follow-up — and why that rhythm (not more meetings) is the key to a confident, engaged team.

In this episode, you'll learn:
✔️ Why every business already has systems, planned or not
✔️ The difference between a process system and a leadership system
✔️ How inconsistent leadership creates stress, disengagement, and turnover
✔️ The "6 critical questions" every leader needs to get clear on
✔️ Where to start building your own Leadership Operating System (LOS)

This October, Kristina is launching a brand-new Leadership Operating System (LOS) program. Learn more here: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca/leadership-operating-system

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes every week. 👉 Visit https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca for coaching, resources, and more.

Listen Here: What Would Fall Apart If You Left Your Business for 30 Days? | Kristina Schmitt Development
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IpgKlqI2iVA

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why every business already has systems
• The difference between intentional and unintentional systems
• What leadership systems actually look like
• How communication cadence can reduce interruptions
• Why consistency matters for employees and customers
• Why you can't improve what isn't defined
• How to identify where your business depends too heavily on you
• How leadership systems can help your business operate more independently

If this episode helped you, like, subscribe, share it with another business leader, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

Learn more about Kristina Schmitt Development and the Leadership Operating System at kristinaschmitt.ca.

#LeadershipSystems #BusinessSystems #LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessGrowth #TeamDevelopment #SmallBusinessLeadership #BusinessBuildingBlocks

✨Stay Connected with Kristina:
🌐Website: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca
📺YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@KristinaSchmittDevelopment
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinaschmitt.ca/
💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-schmitt-development/
🚀Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinashmittdevelopment/

✨ Introducing Smooth Start: The New Hire Success Kit
A simple, proven framework to help leaders bring new hires up to speed in 90 days without adding more work to your calendar.
👉 Get the Smooth Start Kit — Only $97

📅 Ready to talk about how to build that kind of culture in your team or family? Book a free 30-minute consultation:
https://tidycal.com/1gvq821/30-minute-meeting

✨ FREE RESOURCES ✨
Unlock the blueprint for leadership success – download your FREE Ultimate Leadership FRAMEWORK: 7 Steps to Building a Successful...

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Everyone says to start with strategy — figure out where you're going, then build the plan. But there's a problem: the people creating the strategy are part of the system they're trying to fix. In this episode, we explore why leadership development has to come before — and continue alongside — strategic planning.

— Why "start with strategy" is incomplete advice
— How self-awareness changes the strategy you create
— The problem with generic core values
— Why strategic anchors should reflect who leaders actually are
— How leadership shapes the quality of the strategic conversation
— Why trust is the multiplier behind execution
— The caveat: leadership doesn't have to be "finished" first
— The real first question every leader should ask

If you're planning your next strategy session or wondering why your last one didn't stick this episode will change how you approach it.

📺Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TJmGx8fVzSc
🎧Listen here: https://kristinaschmitt.ca/podcast
🚀Direct Download: Why Strategy Isn't the First Step in Business Growth

✨Stay Connected with Kristina:
🌐Website: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca
📺YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@KristinaSchmittDevelopment
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinaschmitt.ca/
💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-schmitt-development/
🚀Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinashmittdevelopment/

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes every week.

🌐 Visit kristinascmitt.ca to learn more and work with Kristina.

#LeadershipDevelopment #BusinessStrategy #StrategicPlanning #Leadership #SmallBusinessGrowth #ExecutiveCoaching #TrustInLeadership

✨Stay Connected with Kristina:
🌐Website: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca
📺YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@KristinaSchmittDevelopment
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinaschmitt.ca/
💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-schmitt-development/
🚀Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinashmittdevelopment/

✨ Introducing Smooth Start: The New Hire Success Kit
A simple, proven framework to help leaders bring new hires up to speed in 90 days without adding more work to your calendar.
👉 Get the Smooth Start Kit — Only $97

📅 Ready to talk about how to build that kind of culture in your team or family? Book a free 30-minute consultation:
https://tidycal.com/1gvq821/30-minute-meeting

✨ FREE RESOURCES ✨
Unlock the blueprint for leadership success – download your FREE Ultimate Leadership FRAMEWORK: 7 Steps to Building a Successful...

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The best leader is the self-aware leader — it's a concept Patrick Lencioni and John Maxwell have both talked about, and in this episode Kristina Schmidt breaks down exactly what it means, why it matters, and how to actually build it.

You'll learn:
✔️What self-awareness really means (hint: it's not a checklist)
✔️Why chasing other people's definition of success leaves you unsatisfied
✔️The four stages of emotional intelligence: self-understanding, self-control, understanding others, and building relationships
✔️How your blind spots and natural reactions to stress and feedback shape the way you lead
✔️Why Working Genius is one of the fastest ways to get insight into yourself
✔️How daily self-reflection, journaling, and identifying your core values build long-term clarity
Why self-awareness is the foundation of every strong relationship, team, and business

If you've ever wondered why some situations drain you while others energize you, or why you react the way you do under stress, this episode will help you understand yourself — and lead — better.

🎧 Subscribe for new episodes of Business Building Blocks every week.

📺Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bGqm0jf1of8
🎧Listen here: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca/podcast
🚀Direct Download: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2256331/episodes/19668600-why-self-awareness-is-a-competitive-advantage.mp3?download=true

🌐 Learn more at kristinascmitt.ca

#Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkingGenius #BusinessBuildingBlocksPodcast #SelfAwareness #EmotionalIntelligence #BusinessOwner #LeadershipCoach #KristinaSchmittDevelopment

✨Stay Connected with Kristina:
🌐Website: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca
📺YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@KristinaSchmittDevelopment
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinaschmitt.ca/
💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-schmitt-development/
🚀Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinashmittdevelopment/

✨ Introducing Smooth Start: The New Hire Success Kit
A simple, proven framework to help leaders bring new hires up to speed in 90 days without adding more work to your calendar.
👉 Get the Smooth Start Kit — Only $97

📅 Ready to talk about how to build that kind of culture in your team or family? Book a free 30-minute consultation:
https://tidycal.com/1gvq821/30-minute-meeting

✨ FREE RESOURCES ✨
Unlock the blueprint for leadership success – download your FREE Ultimate Leadership FRAMEWORK: 7 Steps to Building a Successful...

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Leadership Ceiling is the hidden barrier that prevents many business owners from scaling their business. In this episode, leadership coach Kristina Schmitt explains why growing your business requires growing as a leader—and how to stop becoming the bottleneck in your organization.

If you're a business owner, manager, or manufacturing leader who is working longer hours but not seeing greater results, this episode is for you.

In this episode of the Business Building Blocks Podcast, Kristina introduces the concept of the Leadership Ceiling—the point where your business can no longer grow because your leadership hasn't evolved to match its new demands.

You'll discover:

• Why hiring more people doesn't always solve capacity problems
• How technical expertise can become your biggest leadership limitation
• Why many leaders unintentionally become the bottleneck in their own business
• The difference between delegating tasks and developing capability
• The four leadership shifts that help businesses grow sustainably
• How to redefine your role as your business grows

As businesses grow, the leadership role must change too. The skills that helped you build your company may not be the skills that will help you scale it. If you're constantly jumping back into technical work, solving everyone's problems, or carrying the mental load of the organization, this episode will help you identify what's keeping your business dependent on you—and what to do next.

The next stage of business growth isn't about working harder.

It's about becoming the leader your business now needs.

Watch & Listen

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/AdErvubzeoA

Listen to the Business Building Blocks Podcast:
Why Your Business Can't Grow Until You Change as a Leader

If this episode helped you think differently about leadership and business growth, subscribe for weekly conversations on leadership, culture, people development, and building businesses that thrive without depending on one person.

#LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipMindset #BusinessGrowth #BusinessLeadership #LeadershipCoaching #SmallBusiness #ManufacturingLeadership #BusinessBuildingBlocksPodcast #KristinaSchmittDevelopment #Delegation #BusinessStrategy #TeamDevelopment #ExecutiveLeadership #OrganizationalHealth #Leadership

✨Stay Connected with Kristina:
🌐Website: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca
📺YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@KristinaSchmittDevelopment
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinaschmitt.ca/
💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-schmitt-development/
🚀Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinashmittdevelopment/

✨ Introducing Smooth Start: The New Hire Success Kit
A simple, proven framework to help leaders bring new hires up to speed in 90 days without adding more work to your calendar.
👉 Get the Smooth Start Kit — Only $97

📅 Ready to talk about how to build that kind of culture in your team or family? Book a free 30-minute consultation:
https://tidycal.com/1gvq821/30-minute-meeting

✨ FREE RESOURCES ✨
Unlock the blueprint for leadership success – download your FREE Ultimate Leadership FRAMEWORK: 7 Steps to Building a Successful...

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We've been talking about scaling and chaos over the last few episodes — and the antidote to chaos is systems. In this episode, Kristina Schmitt breaks down exactly which leadership systems you need to grow your business without losing momentum or your best people.

You'll learn:

• Why dashboards, annual reviews, and yearly strategy sessions are events — not systems
• The 3 Roles of a Leader: creating and communicating a vision, developing your team, and getting results
• How SIPOC (Suppliers, Inputs, Processes, Outputs, Customers) helps you build a true closed-loop system
• Why James Clear's "systems over goals" idea from Atomic Habits applies directly to leadership
• The 6 critical questions to get clear on your strategy
• The order to build your meeting systems: 1:1s → weekly tactical → daily stand-up → quarterly strategic
• Why you can't build every system at once — and where to start instead

If you're a business owner or leader feeling like you're doing "all the right things" but still not getting consistent results, this episode gives you the roadmap.

📩 Want support building these systems in your business? Email kristina@kristinaschmitt.ca or visit kristinaschmitt.ca to get in touch.

🎧 Subscribe to Business Building Blocks for more episodes on leadership, systems, and scaling without chaos.

📺Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HEQ4iQy-INk
🎧Listen here: kristinaschmitt.ca/podcast
🚀Direct Download: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2256331/episodes/19601501-what-systems-should-every-leader-have-in-place-kristina-schmitt-development.mp3?download=true

#LeadershipSystems #BusinessBuildingBlocks #ScaleWithoutChaos #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #OrganizationalDevelopment #ScalingABusiness #ExecutiveCoaching #TeamDevelopment #BusinessSystems #LeadershipDevelopment #KrisinaSchmitt Development

✨Stay Connected with Kristina:
🌐Website: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca
📺YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@KristinaSchmittDevelopment
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinaschmitt.ca/
💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-schmitt-development/
🚀Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinashmittdevelopment/

✨ Introducing Smooth Start: The New Hire Success Kit
A simple, proven framework to help leaders bring new hires up to speed in 90 days without adding more work to your calendar.
👉 Get the Smooth Start Kit — Only $97

📅 Ready to talk about how to build that kind of culture in your team or family? Book a free 30-minute consultation:
https://tidycal.com/1gvq821/30-minute-meeting

✨ FREE RESOURCES ✨
Unlock the blueprint for leadership success – download your FREE Ultimate Leadership FRAMEWORK: 7 Steps to Building a Successful...

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Leaders and business owners often solve the same problems over and over because they're treating symptoms instead of the root cause. In this episode of the Business Building Blocks Podcast, leadership coach Kristina Schmitt explains practical leadership problem-solving techniques that help you eliminate recurring issues, strengthen your team, and create lasting results.

If you constantly feel like you're putting out the same fires every week, this episode is for you. Learn how to identify what's really getting in the way, uncover the root cause of recurring challenges, and build a culture where problems are solved—not repeated.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why smart leaders keep solving the same problems repeatedly
• The hidden cost of unresolved issues on your team and business
• How recurring problems reduce accountability and engagement
• One simple question that reveals your biggest opportunities for improvement
• Three practical problem-solving frameworks every leader should know:
  • "What's in the Way?"
  • Root Cause Analysis using the 5 Whys and Fishbone Diagram
  • DMAIC and 8D for complex organizational problems

Whether you're leading a manufacturing team, managing a growing business, or developing future leaders, these practical strategies will help you spend less time reacting and more time building systems that last.

Listen to this episode and start solving the problems that actually matter.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0-jyEaSHdvM
Listen here: Why Good Leaders Keep Hitting the Same Wall

Stay Connected with Kristina:
Website: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@KristinaSchmittDevelopment
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinaschmitt.ca/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-schmitt-development/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinashmittdevelopment/

If you found this episode helpful, subscribe to the channel, share it with another leader, and explore the Leadership Decision Making playlist for more practical leadership strategies.

#LeadershipDevelopment #LeadershipProblemSolving #RootCauseAnalysis #LeadershipMindset #BusinessLeadership #ManufacturingLeadership #PeopleLeadership #ContinuousImprovement #OrganizationalHealth #BusinessBuildingBlocksPodcast #LeadershipCoaching #KristinaSchmittDevelopment #TeamLeadership #ProblemSolving #Leadership

✨Stay Connected with Kristina:
🌐Website: https://www.kristinaschmitt.ca
📺YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@KristinaSchmittDevelopment
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinaschmitt.ca/
💼LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-schmitt-development/
🚀Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinashmittdevelopment/

✨ Introducing Smooth Start: The New Hire Success Kit
A simple, proven framework to help leaders bring new hires up to speed in 90 days without adding more work to your calendar.
👉 Get the Smooth Start Kit — Only $97

📅 Ready to talk about how to build that kind of culture in your team or family? Book a free 30-minute consultation:
https://tidycal.com/1gvq821/30-minute-meeting

✨ FREE RESOURCES ✨
Unlock the blueprint for leadership success – download your FREE Ultimate Leadership FRAMEWORK: 7 Steps to Building a Successful...