The Business Game
The Business Game
The Business Game is not another highlight reel of overnight success. It is a structured, honest breakdown of what it really takes to build, scale, and sustain a business at every level.
We built The Business Game around a simple truth: business changes as revenue changes. The problems at $500K are not the problems at $5M. The mindset at $5M is not the mindset at $50M. That is why every conversation is grounded in our 10-Level framework, from Level 1 Startup and Survival through to Level 10 Legacy and Exit.
If you are:
• Trying to get your first consistent revenue
• Building your first real team
• Breaking through the messy middle
• Scaling toward eight or nine figures
• Or preparing for exit
There is an episode that meets you where you are.
Hosted by Steve Plummer and Kalena Stano, who speak to founders operating at every stage of the game. No gatekeeping. No hype. No recycled advice. Just real numbers, real mistakes, real strategy, and real decisions that moved the needle.
Each week, we publish two episodes every Monday and Thursday at 6pm AEST, featuring global founders, operators, and investors who break down what actually works at their level and what does not.
The Business Game exists to give you clarity. To help you identify your current level. To show you the moves required to reach the next one.
Because scaling is not random. It is a game. And every level has different rules.
Find your level. Play it properly. Then level up.
Watch video episodes on YouTube and explore more at thebusinessgamegroup.com
The Business Game
LEVEL ONE: A Forensic Scientist Explains Why Your Job Is Traumatizing You
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LEVEL ONE: $0 to $1M: STARTUP & SURVIVAL STAGE
In today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Lori Ana Valentin, analytical chemist, former forensic scientist... and Founder of Radiant Journey, where she helps scientists, engineers, and high-performing professionals navigate burnout, leadership pressure, and the hidden psychological cost of high-stress work.
After years working inside the State Police Crime Lab analysing homicide and criminal cases, Lori began noticing the emotional toll that exposure to trauma was having on professionals behind the scenes – and decided to do something about it.
Now building a business while balancing full-time work and single motherhood, Lori shares what vicarious trauma actually looks like, why high performers silently carry emotional pressure for years, and how emotional intelligence became the unexpected skill that transformed both her leadership and her business.
If you’re building a business, carrying pressure behind the scenes, or trying to perform at a high level without burning yourself into the ground… This episode is for you.
Let’s dive in,
with Lori Ana Valentin:
• what vicarious trauma actually is — and why most people miss it
• how working homicide cases affects people behind the scenes
• why burnout often isn’t the real problem
• the hidden psychological cost of high performance
• how COVID exposed emotional pressure people were already carrying
• building a business while working full-time
• balancing entrepreneurship and single motherhood
• why emotional intelligence became her biggest advantage
• the leadership side of stress nobody talks about
• how to recognise when pressure is silently affecting your life
Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business.
Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap.
For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework?
Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com
It's time to Level Up!
We’ll see you at the next level.
