Small Business | Big Insights
Scaling Secrets: What High Growth Entrepreneurs Know That You Don’t - With Annika Friesen
Feb 02, 2026
Season 1
Episode 35
Eric Saumure
Send a text
In this episode of The Small Business Big Insights Podcast, Eric sits down with leadership coach and former consultant Annika Friesen to unpack what truly drives sustainable growth for entrepreneurs. Annika shares why fast-scaling businesses prioritize intentionality over volume, consistency over intensity, and long-term relationship building over transactional networking. Drawing from her experience in global consulting and executive coaching, she explains how clarity in decision-making, values, and personal definitions of success can dramatically change how leaders show up in their businesses and avoid the burnout traps so common in hustle culture.
The conversation dives deeper into leadership plateaus, delegation fears, and the hidden cost of burnout on judgment, performance, and long-term business health. Annika challenges entrepreneurs to ask uncomfortable but necessary questions, including whether they may be the bottleneck holding their business back. She also demystifies coaching, explains how accountability accelerates growth, and shares insights from her upcoming book MBA Unlocked, a practical guide to career transformation. This candid discussion offers business owners practical frameworks to lead with confidence, protect their energy, and build companies that support both performance and life.
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and episode overview
01:42 Meet Annika Friesen
02:37 What fast-scaling entrepreneurs do differently
06:53 Growth myths and the hustle trap
09:48 Why businesses plateau and how to break through
12:07 Delegation, hiring, and letting go
19:43 The real leadership cost of burnout
27:22 Shifting leadership identity and mindset
32:04 How coaching works and who it’s for
36:54 Annika’s upcoming book MBA Unlocked
39:15 The uncomfortable truths entrepreneurs need to hear
43:23 How to connect with Annika
Follow Annika Friesen on LinkedIn
The book waitlist page is here: https://annikafriesen.com/book-waitlist/
Hosted by Eric Saumure (https://ericsaumure.com )
.png)
Scaling Secrets: What High Growth Entrepreneurs Know That You Don’t - With Annika Friesen
44:27
From Refugee to Luxury Brand CEO: Neri Karra Sillaman's Blueprint for Immigrant Entrepreneurs
34:56
Contracts, Clients, and Costly Risks: The Legal Advice Every Small Business Owner Needs to Hear with Margot Pomerleau from MBC Law
45:40
Communication Secrets from a Leadership Coach with Barry McLoughlin from TLC Transformational Leadership
51:52
Mayor on the Mic: Small-Biz Lessons from Mayor Mark Sutcliffe
39:48
.png)
Grants, Growth & Grit: The Real Talk Small Business Owners Need to Hear" (With Nishant Raina, Mastercard Canada)
35:22
This One Funding Strategy Could Unlock Millions for Canadian Startups (with David Perry and Paul LaBarge)
50:16
From Idea to Published Book: How Sam Laprade become ‘Ottawa Made’
30:52
Succession, Power, and the New Rules of Leadership: A No-Fluff Talk (With Monique Goffinet)
54:45
Stop Overpaying Your Taxes: Give to Charity Instead with Flow-Through Shares (with Albert Labelle, PearTree Canada)
42:07
%20-%20cover.png)
Why Montfort Hospital is More Than Just a Hospital (with Robert Rhéaume – Chair, Montfort Foundation)
36:33
Automation, AI & Sales Hacks: The Future of Business, Revealed (With David Burden from Arketek)
34:06
Cutting Costs Without Compromise: The Secrets to Slashing Business Expenses Well! (With Shawn Stratton from Schooley Mitchell)
34:53
Avoiding Common Tax Mistakes: Lessons from an Accountant with Tara Robertson (Zenbooks)
32:47
Navigating Business Law and Succession Planning with Expert Steve Parr
38:48
From Flour to Power: The Surprising Strategy That's Revolutionizing the Bakery Industry with Kayla Rochkin at Bond Bakery Brands
37:59
.png)
Pitfalls and opportunities of world class SaaS Businesses (Drew Millington from Nmbr)
41:01
Leadership and Innovation in Payroll: Interview with Wagepoint CEO Shrad Rao
48:45
Mastering Business Acquisitions and Roll-Ups with Brian L. Shields
43:27
%20-%20new.png)
Avoiding Common Financial Mistakes: Pro Tips from a Seasoned Planner (With Alex Hadjisophocleous from Forest Financial Planning)
45:18
.png)
From Obscurity to Icon: Unveiling Secrets to Crafting a Memorable Small Business Brand (With Robert Smith from Greenmelon)
45:51
.png)
Secrets to Building a Team That Fuels Your Success: What Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know!(With Zach Montroy from The Intention Collective)
36:37
.jpg)
Unlocking Business Success: How a Punk Rock Lawyer Turned Startup Guru is Transforming 125,000 Businesses(Shane Murphy from Ownr)
41:00
.jpg)
Unlocking Small Business Potential with IT (With Jeremy Irving from IC360)
45:07
Wealthsimple’s radical employee experience (with Gren Austin from Wealthsimple)
40:44