Back Third Founders on Scaling Creativity Without Killing the Spark

In this episode of Fixers & Founders, we sit down with Benjie Hughes and Anna Hammond — the visionary/fixer duo behind Back Third Entertainment, a creative company that blended live music, wedding events, and recording into one unforgettable ride.

Benjie shares how he knew it was time to pivot from passion to process, transforming a traditional studio into a 24/7 coworking space. Anna reflects on finding her voice and value not as a sidekick, but as a builder — shaping the systems that allowed the chaos of creativity to scale.

Together, they unpack what it takes to run a business rooted in art and anchored in execution — and why autonomy, trust, and good spreadsheets are everything. This is one for the founders building in real time.

Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Fixers and Founders

01:30 – Meet Benjie & Anna of Back Third

03:05 – Defining Roles Through Personality Gears

06:27 – What It Takes to Run a Music & Events Company

10:18 – When Derek's Baby Came Early

11:17 – Systems vs Spark: Finding the Balance

13:12 – Big Pivots: From Studio to Coworking Space

15:58 – What They Took Into Their Current Work

21:23 – Soundtrack of the Era

22:36 – Small Moments, Big Impact

28:59 – Outro

Connect with Benjie & Anna

🔗 Benjie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjiehughes/

🔗 Anna’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annahammond/

Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin

Used with permission under a non-exclusive license.

Bandcamp: ⁠https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com⁠/

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ?si=H_3OTdXYStClILHdYiydmw

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

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

Fixer & Fractional COO Lizzy Blasko on why great teams aren’t built on process—they’re built on people.

In this episode of Fixers & Founders, Lizzy Blasko shares how she evolved from a natural problem-solver to a trusted integrator helping founders escape the grind. She opens up about missteps in leadership, the power of right people/right seats, and how EOS tools bring structure to chaos. Lizzy also explores the emotional intelligence behind visionary-integrator trust—and why your career might be your greatest adventure yet.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Fixers & Founders
02:40 Becoming a Fixer
04:14 Aligning Vision and Operations
07:07 Why Long-Term Issues Matter
08:23 Failing Forward as an Integrator
09:24 Trust, Communication, and Leadership
10:56 Knowing When to Let Go
12:46 Right People, Right Seats
15:19 Advice to My Younger Self
17:19 Small Joys That Refuel

Connect with Lizzy Blasko:
🌐 https://lizzyblasko.com/
📧 lizzy@lizzyblasko.com
🔗 linkedin.com/in/lizzyblasko

Mentioned in this episode:
📘 Traction by Gino Wickman (EOS)
📘 Good to Great by Jim Collins (Right People, Right Seats)

Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin

Used with permission under a non-exclusive license.

Bandcamp: ⁠https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com⁠

Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ⁠

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

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

Fractional COO Ben Speich on learning that leadership isn’t about saying no — it’s about showing how.

In this episode of Fixers and Founders, Benjamin Speich, a Fractional COO and EOS integrator, shares his journey from being a curious child to becoming a fixer in the business world. He discusses the importance of aligning vision and operations, the challenges of working with visionaries, and the significance of trust and humility in relationships. Benjamin also reflects on his experiences with failure, the systems he implements for success, and the freedom that comes with being a fractional COO. He concludes with advice for his younger self and shares a surprising fact about his role as a family cook.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Fixers and Founders

02:14 The Journey of a Fixer

04:27 Aligning Vision and Operations

08:11 The Role of Visionaries

10:22 Learning from Failures

11:12 Building Trust in Relationships

14:05 Handing Off Responsibilities

15:56 The Importance of Scorecards

18:02 The Ups and Downs of Being a Fractional COO

19:36 Advice to My Younger Self

21:11 Surprising Facts About Ben

22:39 Outro

Connect with Benjamin Speich:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminspeich/

https://www.speichconsulting.com/

Intro & Outro Music: “Which One Is the Jellyfish?” by Aunt Cynthia’s Cabin

Used with permission under a non-exclusive license.

Bandcamp: https://auntcynthiascabin.bandcamp.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/66kb7d5jDmTkMSs1XcOXTQ

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

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