We started this podcast in July 2025 with a bold goal:

Hit 50 episodes by the end of the year

Why? Ambitious goals can help you figure things out faster. I had to learn how to Do. The. Thing. and not let my fear or shyness get in the way.

The purpose of the podcast is to bring true, trusted, vetted business advice and leadership advice to the world, where more and more ai slop and hype messaging is sending founders in dangerous, costly misdirections. Plus, it is a blast to geek out on topics and meet cool founders and operators from all over the world!

What Happened? As I went through these 6 mos, I learned a great deal from all the guests, and I've been able to apply these lessons to the podcast along the way.

What Were the Lessons? When we pull all the transcripts from the 49 guest episodes, common themes emerged. We analyzed the number of times words and phrases came up, categorized the "mistakes" and "wins", and put together this short and sweet episode to summarize.

1. Lack of effort isn't getting in your way of growth. Likely lack of scalable systems is likely at the heart of that slowing down or stalling you're feeling.

2. Alignment is crucial for growth. Not only does each role and piece of your business need clear systems, they need to be rowing in the same direction (or towards the same targets) as your other teams and pieces of the business. Misalignment can sneak up on you. If you're just a hair's width off track in a space ship, you may wake up one day in the wrong galaxy.

3. Leadership growth (mindset, skills), is not to be ignored. Get a coach, get a therapist, work on your limiting beliefs. Many leaders we interviewed had "aha!" moments when they realized "oh boy, I AM THE PROBLEM".

What's Next?

You can enjoy all of 2025's episodes and articles anytime you'd like. Refer back to all these different topics whenever you feel stuck.

In 2026, we are going to do deep dives into specific topics, one per month starting in February. Our first topic is Category Design & Go To Market (defining each, IDing how they overlap/differences, and meeting people who wrote the book on AND are living examples of each of these through their career success)

Thank you for continuing to join us here. A like, subscribe, or share helps others find us, and I appreciate it very much. If you have any topics you're interested in or challenges you want us to unpack in 2026, shoot us a note at hello@growthdepartment.com

Happy New Year, and see you next time!

xo

Chelsey

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

Want to stay in the know with all-things Growth Department?

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Website | LinkedIn | TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | X

Send us a text

Consistency is rarely flashy. It's little actions you take again and again (even if boring or hard), and finally... momentum clicks.

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down again with Dee Henry, founder of The Sales Loft and creator of Boundaries, to unpack what actually happened after her layoff story went viral.

Dee returns to share how “The Great Lock In” became her personal operating system for growth. From building two businesses at once to landing brand partnerships with companies like Microsoft and Coursera, this conversation is about what happens when you pair courage with structure and let sales math do the heavy lifting.

You will hear how Dee turned consistency into a competitive advantage, why community from the internet outpaced expectations from real life, and how Boundaries evolved from a personal need into a startup built to help founders with ADHD protect their time, energy, and revenue.

This episode is for founders, operators, and creators who want proof that steady action compounds faster than motivation alone.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How “The Great Lock In” created momentum across content, sales, and speaking
• Why consistency beats intensity when building a startup and a personal brand
• How Dee balanced a consulting business while self-funding a SaaS product
• The role community played in accelerating confidence and opportunity
• How to turn overwhelm into systems that support growth

Where to find Dee:

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deidreofficial

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@deidreofficial

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

Thanks for listening! We have one more episode in 2025, and are so happy you chose to come on this journey with us.

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

Want to stay in the know with all-things Growth Department?

Here's where you can stay in touch:

Website | LinkedIn | TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | X

Send us a text

Successful growth depends on more than new technology or big initiatives. It depends on people.

In this episode of the Growth Department podcast, Chelsey Reynolds sits down with Scott Sheinbaum, Founder and Senior Managing Partner at Anthros Partners, to unpack what truly drives adoption and ROI during organizational change.

Scott brings nearly three decades of consulting experience, having led transformation initiatives at firms like KPMG, IBM, Wipro, and Cognizant. His work spans ERP implementations, digital transformations, mergers and acquisitions, and operating model shifts. Across it all, Scott is known for his servant leadership mindset and pragmatic, business-first approach to change.

In this conversation, Scott explains why most transformation efforts stall, how leaders can reduce change fatigue, and what it takes to get teams bought in from day one. He also shares why change management should be part of every organization’s operating rhythm, not something brought in after problems appear.

If you’re planning a major system rollout, introducing AI, or navigating multiple initiatives at once, this episode will help you lead change that actually sticks.

What you’ll learn in this episode

• Why people, not technology, determine whether change succeeds
• How leaders can spot early warning signs of poor adoption
• Practical ways to reduce change fatigue and burnout
• The role managers play in building trust and alignment
• How to connect transformation efforts directly to ROI
  
  

Learn more and connect with Scott here:

Anthros Partners Website: https://anthrospartners.com/

Scott's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottsheinbaum/

Subscribe to the Growth Department podcast for conversations that help founders and executives scale with clarity, alignment, and confidence.

If you found enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing with a friend and leaving a review so others can find us!
Each week, we interview founders, business leaders, and experts in their field about how to grow a business and the personal growth that comes with the journey. #LetsGrow !

Want to stay in the know with all-things Growth Department?

Here's where you can stay in touch:

Website | LinkedIn | TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | X