In this episode, Bernd Geropp shares practical insights on implementing a 90-day founder independence sprint to help founders focus, stabilize key areas, and build sustainable leadership habits. Learn how to choose the right focus, set clear commitments, and avoid common pitfalls.

Key Topics

The importance of a 90-day sprint for founder independence

How to choose the right building block to focus on

The five levels of organizational change

The role of written commitments in change management

How to measure success at 30, 60, and 90 days

Common mistakes in implementing founder sprints

The importance of focusing on one change at a time

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Founder Independence

01:30 The 90-Day Sprint Concept

04:34 Choosing the Right Building Block

09:20 The Importance of Written Commitment

11:42 30-Day and 60-Day Checkpoints

14:01 Involving the Team in the Sprint

15:13 Common Mistakes in 90-Day Sprints

16:34 Measuring Sprint Success

17:22 First Steps for Founders

Links Mentioned in the Show:

AI and Leadership Course: https://fipodcast.vip/ai

Checklists for Leaders: https://berndgeropp.com/check

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Credits:

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/

In this episode, Kelly Costello and Bernd Geropp discuss effective leadership, hiring strategies, and the importance of attitude over skills in building a motivated team. They explore practical approaches to testing potential employees and the costs associated with training, offering valuable insights for entrepreneurs and managers.

Key Topics

Promoting employees based on potential and attitude

Using project assignments to test leadership skills

The cost and emotional toll of training employees

Hiring B players and training them into A players

The importance of clear, black-and-white job roles

Challenges of hiring in niche markets like e-commerce

Deciding whether to grow or maintain a lean operation

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Puppy Cake and Kelly's Journey

00:33 Navigating Growth and Team Dynamics

04:33 Training and Developing Employees

10:57 Deciding on Business Growth and Employee Models

15:31 FI023 Outro.mp3

Links Mentioned in the Show:

AI and Leadership Course: https://fipodcast.vip/ai

Checklists for Leaders: https://berndgeropp.com/check

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Kelly Costello - Puppy Cake - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycostello

Puppy Cake - https://www.puppycake.com

Credits:

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/

In this episode, Kelly Costello shares insights on building resilient teams, promoting within, and maintaining company operations during absences. Discover practical strategies for effective delegation, promoting accountability, and preparing your business for sale or transition.

Key Topics

Hiring and training staff in rural areas

Delegation and cross-training for business continuity

Promoting managers with the right resilience and decision-making skills

Handling business absences and owner vacations

Strategies for business sale and partnership opportunities

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Puppy Cake and Kelly's Journey

00:37 Navigating Growth and Team Dynamics

03:12 Building a Resilient Business Structure

04:53 The Sellability of a Business

07:25 Strategic Partnerships and Growth Opportunities

09:10 Challenges in Promoting Employees

13:33 Finding the Right Talent

15:01 Training and Developing Employees

Links Mentioned in the Show:

AI and Leadership Course: https://fipodcast.vip/ai

Checklists for Leaders: https://berndgeropp.com/check

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Kelly Costello - Puppy Cake - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycostello

Puppy Cake - https://www.puppycake.com

Credits:

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/

In this episode, Kelly Costello shares her journey of building Puppy Cake, managing growth, and maintaining a lean, owner-operated business. We explore strategies for automation, customer relationships, and aligning business operations with personal goals.

Key Topics

Business growth strategies

Automation in manufacturing

Customer relationship management

Owner-operator business model

Product development and market fit

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Puppy Cake and Kelly's Journey

04:39 Navigating Growth and Team Dynamics

09:42 Revisiting the Entrepreneurial Dream

13:13 Core Competencies and Operational Efficiency

19:47 Marketing Strategies and Customer Relationships

23:32 Building a Resilient Business Structure

Links Mentioned in the Show:

AI and Leadership Course: https://fipodcast.vip/ai

Checklists for Leaders: https://berndgeropp.com/check

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Kelly Costello - Puppy Cake - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycostello

Puppy Cake - https://www.puppycake.com

Credits:

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/

Bernd Geropp explores the common leadership pitfalls in small and medium-sized enterprises and introduces his five-level model of entrepreneurial leadership. He provides practical insights on how founders can systematically build their leadership foundation to ensure sustainable growth and autonomy.

Key Topics

Five levels of entrepreneurial leadership

Common leadership mistakes in SMEs

Building a system for autonomous teams

Strategic positioning and vision development

Importance of structure and processes

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Entrepreneurial Leadership

03:11 Common Mistakes in Entrepreneurship

06:20 The Five Levels of Entrepreneurial Leadership

09:20 Level One: Self-Leadership

12:02 Level Two: Strategic Positioning

15:16 Level Three: Vision

18:00 Level Four: Structure and Processes

18:56 Level Five: Employee Leadership

Links Mentioned in the Show:

AI and Leadership Course: https://fipodcast.vip/ai

Checklists for Leaders: https://berndgeropp.com/check

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Credits:

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/

Bernd Geropp discusses the true meaning of scaling a business, emphasizing the importance of self-leadership and aligning growth with personal and business goals. He shares insights from Tyler Jeffcoat's experience of selling scalable parts of his business and focusing on what truly matters.

Key Topics

The difference between growth and scaling

The importance of self-leadership for founders

Three paths to business growth: systematic, focused, organic

The founder independence check tool

Chapters

00:00 The Desire to Scale: A Founder's Dilemma

03:14 Understanding Business Models: Tyler's Journey

06:26 Choosing the Right Path: Scaling vs. Stability

Links Mentioned in the Show:

AI and Leadership Course: https://fipodcast.vip/ai

Checklists for Leaders: https://berndgeropp.com/check

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Credits:

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/

This conversation explores the real challenges and strategic considerations for AI adoption in organizations. It emphasizes that AI success depends on leadership clarity, organizational processes, and human communication, not just technology.

Key Topics

Why many AI initiatives fail due to lack of clarity and leadership

The importance of organizational processes and decision-making standards in AI adoption

The role of communication and trust in AI implementation

The necessity of leaders experiencing AI firsthand to drive change

The difference between technology focus and structural change in AI strategy

Chapters

000:00 The AI Leadership Dilemma

02:41 Understanding AI Initiative Failures

05:21 The Role of Communication in AI Adoption

08:44 Leadership's Responsibility in AI Implementation

11:27 Creating Aha Moments with AI

13:47 Clarity Over Chaos: Leading with AI

14:29 ElevenLabs_FI_Jingle_-_Email_List_Subscribe.mp4

Links Mentioned in the Show:

AI and Leadership Course: https://fipodcast.vip/ai

Checklists for Leaders: https://fipodcast.vip/osva

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Credits:

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/

In this episode, hosts Brian Creager and Bernd explore the internal struggles of founders, the importance of honesty and vulnerability, and how to foster a mindset of continuous growth and self-awareness. They discuss the impact of curated social media, the value of honest peer feedback, and practical habits that define a good founder.

Key Topics

The question 'Am I a good founder?' as a signal, not a weakness

The impact of curated social media on founder mental health

The importance of honest peer feedback and vulnerability

Habits that make a founder resilient and self-aware

The role of reflection and ego in leadership

Chapters

00:00 The Founder's Dilemma: Am I Good Enough?

04:54 The Power of Vulnerability in Founders

09:37 Defining a Good Founder: Habits Over Skills

11:16 Facing Reality: The Importance of Honest Feedback

Links Mentioned in the Show:

Checklists for Leaders: https://fipodcast.vip/osva

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Credits:

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/