On this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, we sit down with Justin Abrams, CEO of ARYO Consulting Group, to unpack a growth strategy that many business owners hear about—but few truly understand: growth through acquisition.
With over 350 clients under his belt and a refreshingly straightforward approach to strategy, Justin helps demystify the world of M&A for small business owners. He breaks down what “acquisition” really means (hint: it’s not just for the big guys), when it makes sense to consider buying another business, and what red flags can turn an exciting opportunity into a financial trap.
We cover everything from the intimidating lingo (EBITDA, multiples, platform vs. bolt-on companies) to the real questions owners should be asking: Can I afford it? Will the clients stay? Can I retain the team? You’ll hear why acquisition is often faster, safer, and more efficient than chasing new customers through marketing—and how it could be the key to scaling your business without exhausting your resources.
Justin outlines the kinds of businesses that are great candidates for acquisition (think recurring revenue, complementary services, or capacity expansion) and highlights major pitfalls to avoid—like key man risk, inflated valuations, or seasonality traps that make revenue appear stronger than it is.
We also dig into the emotional and operational realities of selling a business—and how that often leads to great buying opportunities for owners willing to be strategic and prepared. Whether you’re looking to grow your footprint, diversify services, or increase revenue, this episode gives you the foundational knowledge you need to move forward with confidence.
Connect with the Experts
Learn more about Justin: https://aryocg.com
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
KeyHire Solutions helps small business owners scale smarter, not harder. From hiring the right talent to building systems that work, we give you the strategies and support to grow your business without burning out.
Learn More at www.KeyHire.Solutions
AI doesn’t have to be overwhelming—and it definitely doesn’t have to be expensive.
In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, I’m joined by Paul Malott, CEO and Founder of Automations24, to talk about one of the most practical—and accessible—ways small businesses can start using AI: no-code automations.
We know that AI is everywhere right now, but most small business owners feel unsure about where to start. Paul helps cut through the noise by breaking down how no-code platforms like Make.com, Zapier, and Pipedream allow businesses to build smart, scalable systems—without writing a single line of code.
What does that mean in real life? Well, let’s say you have a shared inbox for invoices. Paul walks us through how you can automate the entire three-way match process—invoice, PO, goods received—using AI and no-code tools. The result? Faster payments, fewer errors, and time back in your day to focus on growth.
We also dive into:
Paul doesn’t just know the tech—he understands the messy, real-world processes inside small businesses. He explains how these tools help eliminate waste, reduce risk, and give small business owners the freedom to focus on what drives revenue.
Whether you’re a tech-savvy entrepreneur or someone who gets overwhelmed by AI chatter, this episode will meet you where you are. We talk practical use cases, cost-effective tools, and how to avoid the common mistakes that keep automations from delivering ROI.
You’ll also learn why the future isn’t about replacing jobs—it’s about repurposing your people to do higher-value work. Automations can turn your AR clerk into a data analyst, your assistant into a strategist, and your business into a scalable machine.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What’s something I hate doing that AI could handle for me?”—this episode is your answer.
You don’t need a developer. You don’t need a huge budget. You just need to get started.
And the best part? Most of these solutions can be implemented and tested in under three weeks.
Tune in now and find out how to scale smarter—not harder—with no-code AI automations.
Connect with the Experts
Connect with Paul: www.automations24.com
Be KeyHire’s Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram @keyhiresolutions
KeyHire Solutions helps small business owners scale smarter, not harder. From hiring the right talent to building systems that work, we give you the strategies and support to grow your business without burning out.
Learn More at www.KeyHire.Solutions
In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Charles Fry, Founder and CEO of Codexitos, to tackle one of the most challenging transitions for small business owners: moving from founder-driven sales to building a professional sales organization.
Charles has been in technology since before the internet took shape, founding and growing multiple companies over the decades. With deep experience in scaling businesses, he shares the real-world lessons he’s learned about letting go of being the “only salesperson” and building a sustainable sales team that drives growth.
Together, Corey and Charles dive into:
Charles introduces his framework of three phases for founders transitioning out of being the sole salesperson:
Throughout the conversation, Charles emphasizes the nuances of leadership in sales: balancing the founder’s natural ability to “close deals” with the need to empower a team, maintaining patience with new hires as they learn, and putting systems in place to measure performance. He stresses the value of having a clear sales methodology—whether Challenger, SPIN, or another approach—so everyone is speaking the same language and working from the same playbook.
As a mentor once told him, the role of the CEO is ultimately to be the “Cash Extraction Officer.” Charles explains how founders can best serve as closers—brought in for the final inning when their authority and vision matter most—while the sales team does the heavy lifting of qualification and relationship building.
For business owners feeling trapped as the sole driver of revenue, Charles provides actionable steps:
If you’ve been struggling to step out of the salesperson role—or if you’ve felt the frustration of bad hires, inconsistent results, or being the “rate limiter” on growth—this episode is packed with strategies to help you break free from founder-led sales and build a scalable, repeatable sales engine.
Connect with the Experts
Learn more about Charles: https://codexitos.com/
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our we
KeyHire Solutions helps small business owners scale smarter, not harder. From hiring the right talent to building systems that work, we give you the strategies and support to grow your business without burning out.
Learn More at www.KeyHire.Solutions
If you’ve ever looked at your business and thought, “I know something’s wrong here, but I can’t figure out what it is… or how to fix it,” this episode is for you.
I call this stage The Unsure Business Owner—the second stop in our Key Owner Stages Series. Last time, we covered the Overwhelmed Owner, where the wheels fall off. The Unsure stage is different—you’re still moving, but the wheels are wobbly. You feel the problems, but you’re not sure what’s causing them, how to fix them, or what will happen when you do.
What Being “Unsure” Feels Like
Maybe sales aren’t closing like they used to. Maybe operations is slipping—quality is down, deadlines missed, and you’re stuck firefighting. Or maybe it’s people—loyal employees who once carried you but now can’t keep up. You’re torn between loyalty and performance.
So you wait, hoping things turn around. But when weeks turn into months, indecision costs you your best people. High performers hate working beside tolerated underperformance. They leave, while underperformers become entrenched.
Why This Stage Is Dangerous
Hesitation weakens culture, results decline, and the very people you can’t afford to lose start heading for the exits.
The Big Mistakes Unsure Owners Make
Three common traps:
Why Diagnosis Matters
The problem isn’t always where you see it. Sales might be down, but operations could be the real constraint. A client once thought they needed a GM; we found sales was fine—operations was the issue. They didn’t need a GM; they needed a Director of Operations. Within weeks, the business turned around.
Hiring for the Business You Want
Most owners hire for where they are. That’s a mistake. If you’re a $10M company aiming for $50M, hire someone who’s already run $50M. At KeyHire, every hire is measured against:
Unless they score at least 80% across all three, we don’t move forward.
Avoiding the “Two Hammers” Problem
If someone only has a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Replace one hammer with another, and nothing changes. Every new hire should bring tools and skills that expand your business.
How to Move from Unsure to Confident
Here’s the path forward:
Tighten those wobbly wheels, and you’ll be ready for the next phase: the Curious Business Owner, where you start asking, “What else is possible?”
Three Key Takeaways:
If you’re ready to stop guessing and start growing, listen to the full episode now.
Connect with the Experts
Be KeyHire’s Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram @keyhiresolutions
KeyHire Solutions helps small business owners scale smarter, not harder. From hiring the right talent to building systems that work, we give you the strategies and support to grow your business without burning out.
Learn More at www.KeyHire.Solutions
As a small business owner, there’s a moment when you realize that being in control of everything is no longer helping your business—it’s holding it back. You’re wearing too many hats, every process runs through you, and your team can’t make a move without your approval. Sound familiar? In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Kristina Tyler, Coach & Business Partner at Flow Fiero, to talk about how to break free from the daily grind and step into true leadership.
Kristina has helped countless entrepreneurs make the leap from “doing” to “leading.” She knows the emotional and operational challenges that come with letting go—whether it’s the fear that no one can do things as well as you, the discomfort of not being the smartest person in the room, or the burnout that creeps in when you’re always putting out fires. Drawing from her background in high-performance sports coaching and her work with leaders worldwide, Kristina introduces her proven TEAM model—Trust, Engagement, Alignment, and Mobilization—and explains why starting with mobilization can leave your culture feeling “empty.”
In this conversation, you’ll learn:
• The three game-changing questions every business owner should ask before stepping back from daily operations: What game am I playing? Who am I playing against? What do I need to do to win?
• Why burnout, bottlenecks, and the inability to take a real vacation are red flags that you need to transition into leadership.
• How to identify whether performance issues are systemic (process and culture related) or individual (the wrong person in the wrong role).
• The emotional side of leadership change, including overcoming what Corey calls being “addicted to chaos.”
• How to build trust and alignment so your team can make decisions, take ownership, and drive results without you micromanaging.
Kristina and Corey also tackle one of the hardest realities in business growth: sometimes the people who helped you build your company aren’t the ones who can take it to the next level. You’ll hear practical advice on how to navigate these moments with transparency, respect, and a focus on shared success.
Whether you’re at $1 million in revenue or approaching $10 million, the lessons in this episode will help you:
• Step confidently into your role as the visionary leader of your business.
• Build a team you can trust to execute at a high level.
• Create the capacity for growth without burning out or sacrificing quality of life.
If you’ve ever wondered whether your business could survive without you for two weeks—or if you’re starting to feel like the biggest constraint in your own company—this episode is for you. Kristina’s approach blends practical tools with the mindset shifts needed to help you scale your business while actually enjoying the process.
Connect with the Experts
Learn more about Kristina: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flow-fiero-llp/
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
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KeyHire Solutions helps small business owners scale smarter, not harder. From hiring the right talent to building systems that work, we give you the strategies and support to grow your business without burning out.
Learn More at www.KeyHire.Solutions
Feeling like your business has stalled out—and no matter how hard you push, you just can’t get ahead?
In the first episode of our special Key Owner Stages series, Corey Harlock breaks down the Overwhelmed Stage—the point where growth slows to a crawl, fires never stop, and the people who helped you build your company may no longer have the skills or capacity to help you scale it.
Corey opens with the hard truth: overwhelmed owners aren’t just “busy”—they’re stuck. You’ll recognize the signs instantly: you’re deep in day-to-day work, plugging gaps your leaders should be handling, and constantly jumping from one urgent problem to another.
You’ll also learn why loyalty can be a double-edged sword. Many overwhelmed owners started with loyal, all-in employees—family, friends, neighbors—who gave everything in the early days. But as the business grows, the skill set and experience required to put scalable systems in place outgrow those early team members’ abilities. Corey calls this the Peter Principle: “Everyone rises to the level of their own incompetence.” This isn’t about bad people—it’s about good people in the wrong role for the company’s current needs.
If you’ve inherited a second- or third-generation business, the challenge can be even sharper. Long-term leaders may be comfortable maintaining a $10M operation, but resistant—or even fearful—of the changes needed to grow to $50M.
Corey also shares the most common mistakes owners make when they’re in the Overwhelmed Stage:
Then he lays out a clear, step-by-step approach to getting unstuck:
Corey emphasizes that moving out of overwhelm isn’t about instant transformation. Each smart, strategic move lets a little “air out of the tire,” relieving pressure and giving you the breathing room to address the next constraint. Over 9–18 months, these incremental wins can shift you from being a reactive firefighter to a forward-looking strategic leader.
By the end of this episode, you’ll not only know why you’re overwhelmed—you’ll have a realistic, proven blueprint to start fixing it. You’ll see how the right first hire can reset expectations for what great leadership looks like, setting the stage for your move into the next Key Owner Stage: Unsure.
Connect with the Experts
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit ou
KeyHire Solutions helps small business owners scale smarter, not harder. From hiring the right talent to building systems that work, we give you the strategies and support to grow your business without burning out.
Learn More at www.KeyHire.Solutions
In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, Corey Harlock sits down with Sean Boyle, Managing Partner at Momentum 360, to talk about a growing risk that many small businesses overlook—landing in Google Jail.
Sean breaks down exactly what this means, why it happens, and how it can tank your online visibility overnight. Whether you’re outsourcing SEO or managing it in-house, this episode will arm you with practical insights to avoid costly mistakes and stay compliant with Google’s ever-evolving rules.
Corey and Sean also explore the right way to build a sustainable digital presence, how to vet SEO vendors, and the signals that indicate your site might be heading for trouble. If your business relies on online traffic, you can’t afford to miss this one.
Here’s what you’ll take away:
• What “Google Jail” is—and how it crushes online visibility
• Common SEO practices that could be doing more harm than good
• The must-ask questions before hiring an SEO vendor
Connect with the Experts
Learn more about Sean: https://www.momentumvirtualtours.com/
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
What if sharing your company's financial numbers could transform your workplace culture and drive unprecedented business growth? In this game-changing episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Manny Skevofilax, Principal at Portal CFO, to explore how financial transparency can revolutionize the way small business owners connect with their teams.
Corey and Manny identify a critical problem facing today's entrepreneurs: the disconnect between leadership decisions and employee understanding. When team members don't grasp the financial "why" behind company choices, it creates confusion, mistrust, and disengagement. This gap often leads to reduced productivity, higher turnover, and missed growth opportunities that could otherwise propel a small business forward.
Manny brings decades of experience working with business owners who have successfully implemented open-book management practices. He reveals how sharing financial information—when done strategically—creates a more accountable and motivated workforce that truly understands its role in the company's success. This isn't about overwhelming employees with complex spreadsheets; it's about building a workplace culture where everyone feels invested in the outcome.
Through real-world case studies and practical examples, this episode demonstrates how financial transparency can shift your team's mindset from "just doing their job" to actively contributing to business growth. Manny outlines how to introduce these concepts step-by-step without overwhelming your staff, making this approach accessible for small business owners ready to elevate their leadership.
Whether you're struggling with employee engagement, looking to improve performance, or want to build stronger trust within your organization, this conversation on The KeyHire Small Business Podcast offers actionable insights that can transform your approach to team management.
Key Takeaways:
• Strategic Financial Sharing: Learn how to introduce financial transparency gradually without overwhelming employees or compromising sensitive information.
• Motivation Through Understanding: Discover why employees perform better when they understand how their work directly impacts the company's financial health and success.
• Building Accountability: Understand how open-book practices create a culture where team members take ownership of results rather than simply completing tasks.
• Real-World Implementation: Get practical examples from businesses that have successfully used financial transparency to improve both culture and bottom-line results.
• Overcoming Fear: Address common concerns about sharing financial information and learn how to maintain appropriate boundaries while still being transparent.
Connect with the Experts:
Learn more about Manny: https://portalcfo.com/
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
Ready to take your business to the next level? In this compelling episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock welcomes David Solomon, founder of SERO Growth, to tackle one of the most critical small business challenges: expanding into new markets.
David and Corey define the core problem many entrepreneurs face: the dangerous assumption that "what works here will work everywhere." They explore how this mindset leads to costly mistakes and business failures, even for major corporations, such as Target's billion-dollar Canadian expansion disaster. Through real-world examples and strategic insights, they reveal why successful market expansion requires more than just throwing a salesperson into a new territory and hoping for the best.
This business podcast episode is packed with actionable advice for scaling a small business, whether you're considering geographic expansion or targeting new customer segments. David shares his proven three-question framework for determining market viability and discusses the critical research phase that many businesses skip. From understanding cultural differences in business practices to validating your unique value proposition, this conversation provides the roadmap for smart business growth.
Key Takeaways:
Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting your small business management journey, this KeyHire Solutions Podcast episode delivers the strategic framework needed to grow a small business successfully. Don't let entrepreneurship enthusiasm override sound business judgment – learn the proven approach to market expansion that protects your investment while maximizing growth potential.
Connect with the Experts:
Learn more about David: https://www.serogrowth.com
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content. Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
In this compelling episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing small business entrepreneurs today. Corey identifies the core problem plaguing small business management: business owners who still operate under the antiquated "tell me why I should hire you" mindset. This approach is failing in today's job market, where five positions compete for every three qualified candidates.
Corey delivers a wake-up call, revealing how poor candidate experience and weak employer branding don't just hurt recruitment—they directly damage your bottom line and customer relationships. Through compelling statistics and real-world examples, he demonstrates why small business leadership advice must evolve beyond traditional hiring approaches to survive in today's competitive landscape.
Discover how 88% of candidates become more loyal customers after positive hiring experiences, and why 55% of job seekers abandon applications after reading poor employee reviews. Corey challenges small business owners to transform their talent acquisition approach from transactional to relationship-based, emphasizing that candidates are no longer single-use resources but potential long-term brand ambassadors.
This episode provides actionable insights on creating efficient yet thorough hiring processes, building authentic employer branding that attracts aligned talent, and implementing the speed and transparency that top candidates expect. Whether you're struggling with high turnover, can't find quality candidates, or are wondering why your hiring process isn't yielding results, this KeyHire Solutions Podcast episode provides the roadmap for transformation.
Key Takeaways:
Candidate Experience Drives Business Results - Poor hiring experiences don't just lose candidates; they lose customers and damage your reputation in the marketplace.
Speed is Non-Negotiable - Top candidates remain available for only 10 days, making efficient processes essential for successful talent acquisition.
Authentic Employer Branding Attracts Right-Fit Talent - Being genuinely transparent about your culture attracts employees who thrive in your specific environment.
Online Reputation Directly Impacts Hiring Success - 55% of candidates abandon applications after reading negative employee reviews online.
Boomerang Employee Strategy - Treating departing employees with respect creates opportunities for future rehires and positive word-of-mouth marketing.
Connect with the Experts:
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content. Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
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Every small business owner faces the same challenge: how do you get more sales without breaking the bank on marketing? In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock welcomes Mark Newsome, CEO of YouCanMarketOnlineNow.com, who reveals how smart business owners are building collaborative sales processes that generate 25% more profit without the traditional high costs of customer acquisition.
Mark and Corey identify the core problem plaguing small business owners: they're treating customer relationships like disposable transactions – investing massive resources to acquire customers, only to abandon them immediately after the first purchase. Instead of nurturing these relationships and leveraging existing networks, most businesses are stuck in an expensive cycle of constantly chasing new customers while ignoring the untapped potential right in front of them.
Through real-world examples and practical strategies, Mark demonstrates how a simple "magic question" can unlock collaborative opportunities that multiply your reach without multiplying your marketing budget. From creating irresistible bounce-back offers to building valuable email lists through strategic giveaways, this episode reveals the untapped assets sitting right under your nose.
Whether you're a retailer, manufacturer, or service provider, this conversation will fundamentally shift how you think about business growth and customer acquisition. The KeyHire Podcast delivers actionable insights that transform grinding entrepreneurs into strategic growth-focused leaders.
Key Takeaways:
The Magic Question Strategy – Learn the specific question that opens doors to collaborative sales partnerships with non-competing businesses in your market.
Lifetime Customer Value – Discover how to calculate what each customer is truly worth to determine your real marketing budget and partnership investments.
Bounce-Back Offer Methodology – Master the art of market-tested, time-sensitive offers that turn one-time buyers into repeat customers who bring friends.
Email List Building Without Begging – Create compelling monthly giveaways that encourage customers to volunteer their contact information, rather than rejecting your requests.
Cross-Promotional Partnership Structure – Understand how to structure win-win arrangements where businesses share customer bases, vendor networks, and employee referrals.
Connect with the Experts:
Learn More About Mark: www.youcanmarketonlinenow.com
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Does your business feel stuck, busy but not making progress, with your team caught up in emergencies instead of working strategically? In this episode of The KeyHire Podcast, host Corey Harlock talks with Aaron Trahan, founder and coach at Performance Mindset Coaching, about a common disruptive pattern in small business management. They explain that the “Chaos Cycle” is a damaging loop that begins with poor priority management, leads to scattered focus, results in weak execution, and prompts leaders to set even more priorities, which can worsen the problem.
Corey and Aaron deliver practical strategies for leadership development, exploring why business leaders often fall in love with complexity rather than focusing on providing value, and how this mindset becomes a barrier to sustainable business growth. Listeners will discover actionable frameworks to break free from the chaos cycle by learning to prioritize effectively, align their teams, and create sustainable systems that eliminate the need for constant firefighting.
The conversation highlights three key growth rules that help prevent businesses from collapsing under pressure. It emphasizes the importance of mastering focus as a competitive advantage and explains why consistently communicating priorities is crucial for overcoming chaos. This episode offers mindset shifts and practical frameworks that entrepreneurs can use to transform their management style and achieve lasting success.
Key Takeaways:
The Chaos Cycle Defined: Priority mismanagement creates scattered focus, leading to weak execution and prompting leaders to add more priorities, perpetuating the cycle.
Communication Imperative: Effective business leadership requires repeating priorities until you're "nauseous"—that's when your team finally understands.
Three Rules of Growth: Sustainable growth must be sustainable, create operating leverage, and never exceed your ability to manage it.
Focus as Superpower: Great companies say no to virtually everything outside their core priorities and predetermined scope.
12-6-3 Strategy: Work backwards from a 12-month vision to create 6-month milestones and 3-month priorities, connecting actions to goals. Create visuals for easy progress tracking.
Revenue Reality: "Revenue is vanity, profits are sanity, cash is king"—focus on converting revenue into sustainable cash flow.
🔗 Connect with the Experts:
Learn More About Aaron: https://performancemindsetcoaching.co/
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://www.keyhire.solutions/testimonials
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
Struggling to compete for top talent without breaking the bank? In this game-changing episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Anthony Markey, owner of the Markey Agency, to reveal a counterintuitive strategy that sounds too good to be true—but isn't.
The challenge in today's environment is that small business owners often face an impossible choice. Either they offer competitive benefits to attract quality talent (which can be expensive) or risk losing their best employees to companies with better benefits packages. Anthony shares his expertise on leveraging innovative wellness benefit structures and strategic benefit planning to create a win-win scenario where employees can see increased take-home pay while employers potentially reduce overall costs.
Whether you're facing small business challenges with retention, looking to enhance your workplace culture, or seeking innovative approaches to entrepreneurship, this business podcast episode delivers strategies you can implement immediately. Don't miss these insights that could transform how you approach benefits and talent management.
Key Takeaways:
Strategic benefit structures create opportunities: Properly designed wellness benefits can potentially increase employee net pay while reducing employer costs through various mechanisms
Shop your benefits annually: Loyalty to brokers often results in overcharging by thousands per employee, making regular competitive reviews essential for small business leadership
Wellness benefits drive engagement: Employees participate more actively when benefits directly impact their financial outcomes, leading to healthier teams and reduced sick days
Fiduciary responsibility is expanding: Companies over 100 employees already face legal requirements to secure best-value benefits, with smaller businesses likely following suit
Listen to employee feedback: Workers often share information about competitors' benefits that can guide your talent acquisition strategy
🔗 Connect with the Experts:
Learn More About Anthony: https://ikag.me
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content.
Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
At the midpoint of 2025, small business owners find themselves navigating an economic rollercoaster that has included surges, slumps, and everything in between. In this essential episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock delivers a candid assessment of the current market conditions and reveals why the seemingly stable 4.5% unemployment rate is misleading small business owners about the real talent acquisition challenges ahead.
Corey identifies the core problem: while the economy appears neutral on the surface, small businesses are caught in a deceptive calm before the storm. Economists predict ongoing market "mushiness" through the summer, followed by either a strong rebound or further slowdown, depending on the outcome of trade agreements. This uncertainty makes it even more critical for business owners to act decisively on workforce decisions now. The central question becomes: how do you maintain your competitive edge in talent acquisition when scaling a small business during uncertain times?
This episode examines the dynamics shaping today's job market and discusses the limitations of conventional hiring strategies employed by small businesses. Corey cautions against relying on "rental player talent”, which is a workforce that may be temporarily accessible now but will leave for better opportunities when the market improves. Instead, use strategic workforce planning to help your business prepare for the impending market acceleration. Focus on building long-term talent acquisition strategies that make your business bulletproof against market volatility.
Key Takeaways:
-Invest in keeping your best people – If you are struggling a bit or facing a tight summer, consider reducing hours or implementing temporary pay cuts rather than layoffs. Replacing skilled workers will be exponentially more expensive when the economy rebounds.
-Build passive talent pipelines now - Establish relationships with trade schools and implement structured internship programs to create a steady flow of qualified candidates before competition intensifies.
-Invest in AI integration during slow periods - Use current downtime to automate processes and reduce future hiring needs, positioning your business ahead of the talent shortage curve.
-Avoid bargain hunting in hiring - Pay above-market rates for quality candidates now to build loyalty and prevent them from leaving when better offers emerge.
-Prepare for the "war for talent" resurgence - Understand that current market conditions are temporary, and businesses that don't prepare will face severe disadvantages in the future.
This episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast provides the strategic framework needed for how to scale a business effectively during economic uncertainty, offering practical solutions that transform challenges into competitive advantages.
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content. Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
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The KeyHire Small Business Podcast brings you a critical conversation with economist Dr. Bill Conerly that every entrepreneur needs to hear. As Principal Consultant of Conerly Consulting and senior contributor to Forbes, Bill identified a shocking demographic reality 20 years ago that's now reshaping how we think about talent strategy and small business management.
Bill defines the core problem facing today's business owners: "The current decade from 2020 to 2030 has the lowest growth of the working age population since the Civil War." This isn't just a temporary market fluctuation—it's a fundamental shift that's transforming hiring strategies across America. While many business leaders think the tight labor market will ease up, Bill reveals why scaling a small business will only get more challenging in the years ahead.
Host Corey Harlock, CEO of KeyHire Solutions and experienced business consultant, dives deep with Bill to uncover why traditional management approaches are failing and what successful entrepreneurs are doing differently. This episode delivers actionable solutions for organization design and leadership skills that actually work in today's competitive small business landscape.
This episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast isn't just about surviving the current labor market—it's about building a sustainable talent strategy that positions your business for long-term success.
🔗 Connect with the Experts:
Learn More about Conerly Consulting: conerlyconsulting.com
Connect with Bill: www.linkedin.com/in/businomics/
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content. Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
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Are you struggling to maintain your team's alignment and focus in today's unpredictable business environment? In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Simone Janssen, founder of Bulletproof Business Growth, to explore how effective leadership can create internal certainty even when the external world feels chaotic.
The biggest hurdle isn't external pressures—it's the gap between what's clear in a leader's mind and how they convey that information in a way that their team truly understands. While leaders are laser-focused on growing the business, the best teams may be working without the clarity they need to deliver results. When vision doesn't translate into actionable direction, talent becomes wasted potential, and growth stalls regardless of market conditions.
Simone reveals her powerful "5 C's" framework and shares business growth tips that help entrepreneurs move from being the bottleneck to becoming the strategic leaders their companies need. Whether you're managing 10 employees or 50, this conversation offers actionable strategies for overcoming the leadership challenges that often prevent small businesses from reaching their full potential.
Key Takeaways:
The 5 C's Framework: Clarity, Context, Communication, Certainty, and Consistency—the non-negotiable foundation every high-performing team needs to thrive in chaos.
Leadership = Certainty Creation: Stop managing tasks. Start creating unshakeable certainty that empowers your team to execute without you.
Communication Flows Down, Not Around: Information must cascade through your chain of command—bypassing managers destroys accountability and undermines leadership.
No Accountability Chart = Business Failure: Without crystal-clear ownership of responsibilities, even your best people will underperform and burn out.
Slow Down to Speed Up: Building proper systems and leadership structures now prevents the expensive mistakes that come from reactive scaling.
Clarity Reveals True Performance: Give people clear expectations and consistent feedback—you'll instantly separate your A-players from those who need to go.
Learn more about Simone: bulletproofbusinessgrowth.com
🔗 Connect with the Experts:
Learn more about Simone: bulletproofbusinessgrowth.com ·
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire ·
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions. Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content. Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
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Are you a small business owner dreaming of a successful exit strategy? In this compelling episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with serial entrepreneur Eric Grafstrom, founder and CEO of Exit Guide, to tackle one of the most critical challenges facing today's business owners: how to properly package and prepare your business for sale to maximize your return.
Eric defines the core problem plaguing small business management today: most business owners are completely unprepared for the complex exit process, leading to failed sales, collapsed deals, and significantly reduced returns. This isn't just about poor planning—it's about years of hard work potentially going unrewarded due to avoidable mistakes that savvy entrepreneurs can easily prevent with proper preparation.
This episode delves into the often-overlooked realm of small business exits, examining why businesses with revenue under $5 million are frequently overlooked by traditional advisors, despite representing a substantial market share. You'll learn about the crucial timing considerations, essential documentation, and common emotional pitfalls that can derail otherwise profitable exits. The discussion also includes innovative tools and strategies that make professional-level exit planning accessible to everyday business owners who have not previously navigated this complex process.
You'll uncover the critical timeline for preparing a business for growth, the essential documents every serious seller requires, and why having a post-sale plan is just as crucial as the exit strategy itself. Eric shares real-world examples illustrating what distinguishes successful exits from costly failures, offering practical business growth tips that every scaling small business owner needs to hear.
This isn't your typical business growth discussion, it's a roadmap for transforming your life's work into the financial freedom you've earned. Whether you're planning to exit in six months or six years, the insights shared in this episode could be the difference between a successful transition and a devastating disappointment.
Thanks for listening!
Learn more about Eric: https://ericgrafstrom.com
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content."
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Have you ever tried to lead your team, only to be met with disappointing results?
The problem might not be your leadership skills but rather the different ways your entrepreneurial brain operates in comparison to your team. In this insightful episode of the KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock welcomes Marina Morgan, founder of the Morgan Group, to discuss the neuroscience behind entrepreneurial thinking and its impact on small business leadership growth and workplace culture.
The Core Problem: Neurological Disconnects in Communication
The central challenge for entrepreneurs is a biological disconnect when communicating with teams. Entrepreneurs possess unique neurological traits, with more neural pathways between their brain's reward and planning regions, enabling them to perceive possibilities that remain invisible to others.
Marina explains, "The first and most important, in my opinion, is the entrepreneur's sensitivity to the dopamine system. Your experience, the wave of dopamine, your pleasure, your enjoyment that you can feel when you achieve some results, is much higher than the average population." This fundamental difference affects how entrepreneurs communicate with their teams and sets expectations that may seem obvious to founders but not to employees.
Common Leadership Mistakes Made by Entrepreneurial Minds
Expecting the same level of motivation: Entrepreneurs experience a higher dopamine rush from achievement than the average person. This neurological difference leads them to anticipate the same enthusiasm from team members who do not receive the same chemical reward for their accomplishments.
Speed of thought and decision-making: Entrepreneurial brains typically process information at an accelerated rate. This can create frustration when leaders fail to recognize that team members require more time to visualize paths forward.
Misalignment between expressed values and actual leadership behavior: When organizational values don't match leadership behavior, team members receive mixed signals. This can erode trust, a critical factor in creating a positive workplace culture.
Call to Action
🔗 Connect with the Experts:
· Learn more about Marina Morgan: https://themorganimpact.com/
· Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
· Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Thanks for listening!
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content."
Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review, or share this episode with a friend.
Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
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Are you struggling to take your business to the next level? What if the very team you've built is now holding you back from scaling to the next growth milestone? In this transformative episode of the Key Hire Small Business Podcast, Corey Harlock and Neil Katz dive deep into the most critical yet often overlooked challenge facing growing businesses: leadership capacity. Listeners will discover the truth about leadership limitations, learning why the team that helped start a business might be the same team preventing future success. The discussion reveals how leaders who excel at managing 5-10 employees often struggle to lead teams of 100 or drive revenues from $1 million to $50 million.
The episode provides a compassionate yet strategic approach to managing challenging leadership transitions. These actionable insights provide a roadmap for strategic talent development, prompting entrepreneurs to reassess their approach to leadership and team building. Whether you're a small business owner feeling stuck or an entrepreneur planning your next phase of scaling, this episode promises to provide the clarity and direction you need to transform your leadership team and accelerate your business growth.
The Core Problem: Outgrowing Your Current Talent
Neil Katz defines the central issue: "What got you here won't get you there." As businesses scale, the harsh reality is that the leadership team that helped you start often lacks the skills to take you to the next level. Katz explains that "when you have five or 10 employees, that same leader, in many cases, does not have the capability, skills, or background to take you to 100 employees or 1,000 employees, or from $1 million in revenue to $50 million."
🔗 Connect with the Experts:
Learn more about Neil Katz: www.exceptionalhrsolutions.com
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Thanks for listening!
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content."
Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review, or share this episode with a friend.
Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
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This week on The KeyHire Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Corey Morris, President of Voltage Digital Marketing, for an in-depth conversation on how small business owners can build a powerful and effective online marketing strategy. As part of our ongoing small business management podcast series, this episode focuses on real-world marketing strategies for small businesses that drive growth. From understanding your audience to choosing the right channels and measuring success, Corey breaks down the essential components every entrepreneur and business leader needs to know in today’s digital landscape. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to sharpen your current approach, this episode delivers practical business growth tips and actionable steps to help you grow a small business and generate measurable results online.
Learn more about Corey Morris: voltage.digital
Connect with Corey Morris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreymorris/
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
Thanks for listening!
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content."
Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review, or share this episode with a friend.
Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
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This week on The KeyHire Podcast, Corey Harlock dives into the growing trend of Boomerang employees—former team members who return after time away. He unpacks what makes them unique, how they can support your business growth goals, and the right way to bring them back into your team.
From hiring challenges and the hiring process to organization design and talent acquisition, Corey shares real-world insights that help you make smarter, more strategic decisions. He also breaks down common mistakes—like assuming loyalty or cultural fit—that can hurt your efforts to grow or scale a small business.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking for small business lessons, trying to improve your hiring strategies, or focused on how to build culture and team alignment, this episode is packed with practical, no-fluff advice. Tune in to strengthen your workforce and support sustainable, smart growth.
Whether you're considering bringing someone back or just curious about the dynamics, this episode will give you the insight you need to make smarter hiring decisions.
Thanks for listening!
Follow us on YouTube @keyhiresolutions, Facebook @keyhiresolutions, and Instagram @keyhiresolutions.
Follow Corey on LinkedIn @Corey Harlock
Visit our website at https://www.keyhire.solutions/the-keyhire-podcast for more content."
Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review, or share this episode with a friend.
Want to get in touch? Email us at corey@keyhire.solutions
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Clear communication can make or break a business. In this episode, host Corey Harlock sits down with Dr. Robert Johnson, Founder & Managing Partner of Shoreline Partners, to explore powerful strategies leaders can use to enhance communication within their companies. Dr. Johnson shares insights on why being “100% right” isn’t always enough in a world where multiple perspectives and interpretations exist. Learn how to navigate complex conversations, align your team, and create a culture of clarity and accountability. Tune in for expert advice on strengthening leadership communication and fostering a more effective workplace.
Learn more: https://teamtransformationmethod.com
Connect with Dr. Johnson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbobjohnson/
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
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In this episode of The KeyHire Podcast, Corey dives into the latest findings from the 2025 National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Small Business Report and unpacks what they mean for hiring in today’s tough economic climate. With labor shortages, rising wage expectations, and increased competition for top talent, Corey explores the realities business owners are facing right now—and more importantly, what they can do about it.
You'll hear practical strategies for attracting and retaining great employees, even when the market feels stacked against small businesses. From refining your hiring process to shifting your mindset about what makes a strong candidate, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you build the team you need to grow your business in 2025.
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
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We're sitting down with Eric Malka, CEO of Strategic Brand Investments and Founder of The Art of Shaving, to explore the crucial distinction between building a business and building a brand. Eric shares his journey from launching and scaling a premium grooming company to becoming an expert in brand strategy and investment. He explains why a strong brand is more than just a logo or marketing campaign—it’s a powerful asset that drives long-term growth and customer loyalty.
Corey and Eric discuss the mindset shifts entrepreneurs must make to create brands that stand the test of time, the pitfalls of focusing solely on short-term business success, and the strategies that separate great brands from forgettable businesses. Whether you're a business owner looking to elevate your brand or an entrepreneur just starting out, this episode is packed with insights to help you build something truly lasting.
Learn more about Eric: https://www.strategicbrandinvestments.com
Read On The Razor's Edge: https://www.amazon.com/Razors-Edge-Story-Art-Shaving/dp/B0D6HRR1JX
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
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In this episode of The KeyHire Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Xan Hong, Founder and Principal Consultant of Drive Phase Consulting, to explore how small businesses can leverage no-code software to streamline their operations, improve efficiency, and build custom tools without the need for a developer.
Xan shares real-world insights on how no-code solutions empower business owners to take control of their processes, reduce costs, and scale smarter. Whether you're looking to automate workflows, manage data more effectively, or create custom apps tailored to your needs, this conversation is packed with valuable takeaways.
Tune in to learn how no-code technology can be a game-changer for your business.
Learn more about Xan: https://www.drivephase.co
Check out our sponsor: https://bit.ly/CS-KeyHire
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
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