In this episode of The Founders Growth Show, host John Hill, AKA Small Mountain, sits down with Will Aitken, Sales Trainer, Consultant, and Author, to discuss the realities of transitioning from a high-performing sales role to running your own business.

Will breaks down the dangerous trap of "bad revenue," explaining how saying yes to every client opportunity leads to fulfillment friction, burnout, and unsustainable operations.

This enlightening conversation explores:

• Founder mindset,
• Managing ADHD and focus without relying on crutches,
• And why traditional quick-fix sales workshops fail to produce real behavioral change in B2B selling teams.

Will also shares practical frameworks for maintaining mental resilience, including his daily check-in routine for high-stress founders.

If you feel like you're drowning in work that doesn't light you up, Will's founder journey is the compass you need to find your way into a more fulfilling life and business.

Connect with Will Aitken:

Website: https://www.willaitken.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@justwillaitken

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

Book: Gap Prospecting

Connect with John "Small Mountain" Hill:

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

Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

Book: Selling From Scratch

Workshops: Revenue Evolution Workshops

Are you driving long-term alignment, or are you hiding behind short-term vanity metrics?

In this re-released episode of Founder's Growth, host John Hill (aka Small Mountain) sits down with Jesan Sorrells—author of 12 Rules for Leaders, Podcast Host, and Principal Consultant at Leadership Toolbox—to explore the operational differences between basic task management and intentional leadership.

Together, they unpack:

• Why accidental promotions create hidden friction,
• How mediocre leadership erodes company culture,
• How founders can audit their own blind spots,

And so much more.

Jesan shares practical frameworks for moving past quick-fix tactics, front-loading culture during sales hiring and onboarding, and systematically removing performance roadblocks to help your entire team achieve sustainable growth.

If you're ready to step up into true leadership, not just task management, this interview will help you start that climb to success.

Website: https://leadershiptoolbox.us/

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

Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@leadershiplessonsgreatbooks

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

Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

Book: Selling From Scratch

Workshops: Revenue Evolution Workshops

• Differentiating process management from intentional business leadership

• Uncovering organizational blind spots and personal biases

• Why mediocre leadership is more toxic to scaling startups than bad leadership

• Best practices for sales hiring, onboarding, and team accountability

• Removing performance roadblocks to build a resilient company culture

In this episode of The Founder's Growth Show, host John "Small Mountain" Hill sits down with David Connors, Co-Founder and CEO of The Swarm. David breaks down why traditional cold outreach and spray-and-pray outbound sales playbooks are failing and introduces the "Go To Network" paradigm.

We explore David's journey from working in-house at Sequoia Capital to founding The Swarm, and we discuss how top-performing startup founders leverage investor networks for hiring, fundraising, and sales growth.

David also candidly shares:

• How he pivoted his business when market dynamics changed,
• The three core founder archetypes,
• Why building products with your clients is more beneficial than building on your own,
• And why fostering long-term relationships creates compounding returns for early-stage companies.

If your cold outbound efforts aren't providing the ROI you're looking for, this interview is a masterclass in how to shift your efforts.

Connect with David Connors:

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

Website: https://www.theswarm.com/

Connect with John "Small Mountain" Hill:

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

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

Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/

Revenue Evolution Workshops: https://agsherpa.com/revev

Books/Resources Mentioned:

The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick

Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross & Marylou Tyler

1,000 True Fans by Kevin Kelly

In this episode, we sit down with Chris Bogue, Sales and Marketing Consultant, Sketch Comedian, and Content Creator.

We dig into how founders and revenue leaders can build an effective, human-centered video sales process without massive time or budget investment. Chris breaks down how combining improv principles with structured video messaging helps teams cut through inbox noise, overcome prospect resistance, and generate pipeline while avoiding long, rambling pitches (that usually get ignored!).

We also explore essential topics around founder mindset, camera presence, bullet-point scripting, and building outbound processes that scale.

If you think video marketing might be the key to stronger sales, or simply want to humanize your outreach in the age of AI, Chris's expertise will point you in the right direction.

Connect with Chris Bogue:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-bogue/

Connect with John "Small Mountain" Hill:

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

Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/

Book: Selling From Scratch

Free Workshops: Revenue Evolution Workshops

How do founders maintain resilience and clarity when faced with burnout, sudden market shifts, or personal setbacks?

In this episode of The Founders Growth Show, host John "Small Mountain" Hill sits down with Rachel Druckenmiller, Keynote Speaker, Professional Singer, and Founder and Leadership Trainer at Unmuted.

Rachel shares her journey transitioning from a 13-year corporate career into full-time entrepreneurship, overcoming severe burnout, serious illness, and a life-threatening accident along the way.

We explore critical business leadership and founder mindset topics, including:

• Moving past the performative need to be "the best" to establish genuine authority and a more abundant viewpoint.

• How to cultivate self-trust and agency through continuous action and evidence-building.

• Practical strategies for B2B selling and public speaking without losing your authentic identity.

• Navigating sales friction, adapting during economic uncertainty, and surrounding yourself with high-accountability networks to scale a business.

If you feel like you're more of a background character than the main star of your own life, Rachel's phenomenal journey is the motivation you need to raise your hand and make your voice heard.

Connect with Rachel:

Website: https://www.racheldruckenmiller.com/

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachel.druckenmiller

Connect with John "Small Mountain" Hill:

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

Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

Book: Selling From Scratch

Free Workshops: Revenue Evolution Workshops

In this episode of The Founder's Growth Show, host John Hill, AKA Small Mountain, sits down with Mike Simmons, Founder of Catalyst, to examine how founder mindset, self-leadership, and sales alignment drive sustainable business growth.

Mike breaks down practical frameworks for B2B selling, scaling a business without damaging team culture, and shifting focus from lagging revenue outcomes toward controlled daily inputs.

He also discusses the difficulty founders (and all people) have in blaming others when things are going wrong rather than looking in the mirror. But, as Mike states, true leadership happens when you lead yourself first.

Learn how to identify the root causes of revenue stalls, what to consider when building sustainable and repeatable processes, and how to ensure operational clarity across your entire organization.

Connect with Mike Simmons:

Website: https://catalystsale.com/

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

Connect with John:

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

Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

Book: Selling From Scratch

Workshops: Revenue Evolution Workshops

In this episode of The Founder's Growth Show, host John Hill, AKA Small Mountain, sits down with Humberto "Bert" Rodriguez, CEO and Co-Founder of SupplySoft, to explore what it takes to build operational systems that withstand decades of technological change.

Drawing from over 30 years in supply chain technology—from high school punch cards to modern AI and warehouse automation—Humberto breaks down how unwritten rules and key-person reliance create invisible ceilings on business expansion.

Founder-Centric Topics Discussed:

• The Tribal Knowledge Trap: Why relying on key-person memory and knowledge limits operational velocity and how to systemize execution.

• Value-Based Pricing: Realities of pricing services based on client impact rather than labor hours.

• Navigating Market Pivots: Transitioning through major tech shifts (DOS to Windows, Cloud/SaaS, AI) without sacrificing business continuity.

• The Power of Niching Down: Why focusing deeply on a core partner platform beats spreading thin as a generalist.

• Leadership Without Ego: Implementing operational litmus tests and building a unified, client-focused culture across global remote teams.

If you want to know how a business owner can stay successful and ahead of the game for decades, Bert's expertise is what you need.

Connect with Humberto "Bert" Rodriguez:

https://www.supplysoft.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/humberto-rodriguez-b3648b4/

Connect with me:

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnblanehill/
Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/
Revenue Evolution Workshops: https://agsherpa.com/revev

What happens when your biggest market differentiator becomes the exact label that stops decision-makers from buying? In this episode, host John SmallMtn sits down for part two of our time-capsule series with Jon Selig, founder of The Credibility Gap. Looking back at where his business stood two years ago in 2024, Jon shares a transparent masterclass on founder burnout, navigating corporate misalignment, and the resilience required to execute a total brand pivot.

We break down why branding yourself purely on 'uniqueness' can damage enterprise sales value, how to transition from high-pressure digital content to high-value warm networking, and the exact storytelling frameworks technical teams must adopt to communicate human business outcomes. Whether you are currently experiencing startup fatigue or mapping out your next strategic shift, this grounded guide details how to build long-term structural clarity in your business.

Connect with Jon Selig:

Website: https://jonselig.com/

LinkedIn: Jon Selig

Connect with John Hill:

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

Website: https://adaptedgrowth.com/

Newsletter: https://podcast.adaptedgrowth.com/podcast

Book: Selling From Scratch

Workshops: Revenue Evolution Workshops