In this episode of Stories of Scale, host Jonathan Herps sits down with Zaki Ameer, Founder of DDP Property, to unpack the real story behind his 15-year journey building one of Australia’s most successful buyer’s agencies.

Zaki reveals the truth behind scaling a business sustainably — from navigating compliance and hiring misalignment, to rebuilding culture, and creating a business that can run without him.
You’ll learn:

🔹 Why your values matter more than your strategy
🔹 How to build an A-player team that actually delivers
🔹 Why compliance can make or break your business
🔹 What founders get wrong when scaling
🔹 How personal identity, burnout and self-reflection shape your CEO evolution

Whether you're a business owner, founder, or CEO — this episode is packed with real-world lessons on leadership, execution, and building a life that works beyond the business.

Connect with Zaki Ameer:
DDP Website - http://www.ddpproperty.com.au/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zakiameer/

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupgrowth.co

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scaleupgrowth

Instagram: www.instagram.com/scaleupgrowth

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@scaleupgrowth

Email: admin@scaleupgrowth.co

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now:

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now!

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth.
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

Are you still doing everything yourself — sales, delivery, and strategy — and can’t take a holiday without things falling apart? You’re not alone. Most founders hit the same growth ceilings — the “ones and threes” — where your leadership, systems, and team hit capacity.

In this episode of the **Scale Up Growth Podcast**, we unpack the **6 key triggers** to help you move from *firefighter* to *builder* — so your business can grow beyond you.

You’ll also learn why only 4% of businesses ever reach $1M revenue (and how to make sure you do), the mindset shift every CEO must make, and how AI can now help you scale faster than ever.

📍 **Timestamps**

00:00 Introduction: Overcoming Business Challenges
00:38 Personal Experience and Credibility
02:00 Understanding the Valleys of Death
03:19 Global Business Statistics
04:14 CEO Mind Shift: From Firefighter to Builder
04:48 Leveraging AI for Business Efficiency
05:43 Interactive AI Exercise
06:17 Conclusion and Podcast Subscription

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupgrowth.co

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scaleupgrowth

Instagram: www.instagram.com/scaleupgrowth

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@scaleupgrowth

Email: admin@scaleupgrowth.co

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now:

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now!

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth.
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

In this episode of the Scale Up Growth Podcast, Jonathan Herps dives deep into why building and keeping A-players is the ultimate growth advantage for CEOs. Discover how leading founders are creating workplaces that attract talent, boost performance, and scale sustainably — even in competitive markets.

💡 You’ll Learn:

1. Use People & Culture KPIs that actually drive results

2. Benchmark your eNPS and measure team health effectively

3. Build a culture that makes your business a “great place to work”

4. Hire A-players (and move out the toxic ones fast)

5. Avoid burnout and build a team that leads with you

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupgrowth.co

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scaleupgrowth

Instagram: www.instagram.com/scaleupgrowth

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@scaleupgrowth

Email: admin@scaleupgrowth.co

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now:

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now!

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth.
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

Perfection slows growth. Momentum scales it.

In this episode of the Scale Up Growth Podcast, Jonathan Herps breaks down how growth-stage founders can take control of their business using leading vs. lagging KPIs, “Bare Ass Minimums” (BAMs), and a flywheel system that drives consistent performance.

You’ll also hear real-world examples of businesses scaling from $3M to $17M — and what it really takes to keep profit, people, and progress aligned.

💡 You’ll Learn:

1. The difference between leading and lagging KPIs — and why it matters
2. What “Bare Ass Minimums” (BAMs) are and how to set them for your team
3. How A-Players outperform and transform company growth
4. Why momentum beats perfection in scaling
5. How to adjust KPIs as your business evolves

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupgrowth.co

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scaleupgrowth

Instagram: www.instagram.com/scaleupgrowth

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@scaleupgrowth

Email: admin@scaleupgrowth.co

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now:

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now!

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth.
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

In this episode of the Scale Up Growth Podcast, Jonathan Herps explores how CEOs can harness AI, dashboards, and the power of a North Star metric to lead with more clarity and alignment. From using multiple AI tools for research and decision-making, to understanding why defining and tracking the right metrics drives real momentum, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply today.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

1. AI is a force multiplier when used with the right mix of tools—not just ChatGPT.
2. Great prompts drive great outcomes; AI is only as good as the questions you ask.
3. Keep sensitive data secure by separating personal and enterprise AI use.
4. A North Star Metric aligns your entire company around one guiding measure of success.
5. Momentum beats perfection—start with workable metrics, then refine as you scale.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupgrowth.co

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scaleupgrowth

Instagram: www.instagram.com/scaleupgrowth

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@scaleupgrowth

Email: admin@scaleupgrowth.co

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now:

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now!

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth.
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

Most CEOs are drowning in numbers but starving for clarity. Without the right dashboard, you’re flying blind—reacting instead of leading.

In this session, Jonathan shared AI prompts to design your Leaders KPIs, company Evergreen KPIs & an AI prompt to help you identify your North Star metric.

Whether you’re at $1M, $10M, or $100M in revenue, the principles are the same. If you can’t measure it, you can’t optimize it—and if you can’t optimize it, you can’t scale.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupgrowth.co

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scaleupgrowth

Instagram: www.instagram.com/scaleupgrowth

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@scaleupgrowth

Email: admin@scaleupgrowth.co

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now:

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now!

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth.
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

Every founder dreams big, but too many stop at “vision” without turning it into an actionable plan. In this episode, Jonathan Herps breaks down how to take a 3-year vivid vision and transform it into a practical execution system that drives growth, profit, and freedom.

Jonathan reveals the planning rhythms used by top CEOs to scale past the plateaus, align leadership teams, and free themselves from being the bottleneck in their business.

Whether you’re aiming to break through $3M, $10M, or beyond, this episode gives you the clarity and tools to lead with intent.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why 3 years is the ideal time horizon for strategy and scaling
  
  
  
• The “leader’s intent” framework for aligning your executive team
  
  
  
• How to cascade a vivid vision into quarterly sprints and weekly check-ins
  
  
  
• The 4 essential jobs of every CEO in growth mode
  
  
  
• Tools to keep execution disciplined and results predictable

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

00:00 Introduction: Why Three Years?

00:32 Real-Life Example: Achieving Market Leadership

02:55 Communicating the Three-Year Plan

04:06 The Role of a CEO

05:53 Executing the Vision: Quarterly and 12-Quarter Plans

08:53 Case Study: Making Sales Predictable

11:32 Tracking Success: The CEO Dashboard

14:17 Q&A and Final Thoughts

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: https://scaleupgrowth.co/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scaleupgrowth

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scaleupgrowth

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@scaleupgrowth/

Email: admin@scaleupgrowth.co

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupgrowth.co

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scaleupgrowth

Instagram: www.instagram.com/scaleupgrowth

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@scaleupgrowth

Email: admin@scaleupgrowth.co

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now:

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now!

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth.
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here

Scaling isn't about more tactics, it's about more clarity. It’s about giving your team a vision so clear they can act without waiting for your permission.

In this episode of Stories of Scale, Jonathan Herps shares why your team doesn’t need more direction and why they need a crystal clear destination. You’ll learn how to build a 3 Year vision that aligns your people, removes daily chaos, and puts you back in the role of strategic leader.

If you're a founder who’s still wearing all the hats, stuck in day-to-day chaos, and unsure how to move beyond the plateau, you need to hear this. Jonathan’s personal stories, client case studies, and frameworks will help you reclaim clarity, momentum, and your role as the true leader of your business.

In this episode of Stories of Scale with Jonathan Herps, you’ll discover:

• Defining success beyond revenue (01:20)
• Why scaling requires more than strategy (02:49)
• Translating vision into a “leader’s intent” your team can act on (03:45)
• The military lesson every CEO can use to keep teams aligned (05:17)
• The power of a three-year vision (06:40)
• How one company leapt from #3 to market leader by rallying around a clear intent (07:23)

Key takeaways for CEOs and business owners:

• Why “vision” isn’t enough if your team doesn’t know how to act on it.
• A three-year horizon is long enough to be transformational and short enough for your team to believe it’s possible.
• A clear “leader’s intent” keeps everyone aligned and empowered to act, even when plans change.
• Scaling a business isn’t just about strategy; it’s about clarity, leadership, and getting every person rowing in the same direction.

Scaling isn’t about chasing endless tactics but about clarity, intent, and leading your people with purpose. When your team knows exactly where they’re going, growth stops being chaotic and starts becoming unstoppable.

CONNECT WITH JONATHAN HERPS

Website: www.scaleupgrowth.co

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanherps

Facebook: www.facebook.com/scaleupgrowth

Instagram: www.instagram.com/scaleupgrowth

Youtube: www.youtube.com/@scaleupgrowth

Email: admin@scaleupgrowth.co

🚀 Ready to Elevate Your Business?

If you’re interested, here are 3 ways I can help you right now:

1. Subscribe to our podcast
Get actionable strategies to run a more efficient business from someone who built & exited 3 multi-million $ companies.
Click Here to listen & subscribe now!

2. Download our free CEO Dashboard template
Build a step-by-step business plan for consistent growth.
Click Here to download.

3. Book a 20-min Business Growth Call
Map out a growth plan for your business and identify your biggest bottleneck & leave with a clear action plan. — Click Here