Scaling to $10M Meant Letting Go to Grow - Graeme Barlow

William Holsten went from corporate marketer to carnival game inventor—then turned failure into a business-saving framework that’s helping founders avoid costly mistakes. What started as a fun idea to support a charity carnival became Pitch Burst, a hit water balloon game that gained national attention. But behind the scenes, poor materials, refund requests, and engineering missteps nearly tanked the business. Rather than quit, William went back to the drawing board—and created a smarter way to build and scale. He turned hard-won lessons into a repeatable system: one that’s now captured in his book Uh-Oh: Avoiding Dumb Mistakes in Business, and shared with founders across the country through his work as a SCORE mentor. In this honest, tactical episode, William shares: The product launch mistake that wiped out his capital His 5-part decision tree for what to do when things go wrong Why most “testing” isn’t nearly enough How he sold his patent and walked away whole The power of pre-mortems, quitting coaches, and self-assessments Why optimism can blind entrepreneurs to early warning signs The one question from his son that changed everything Key Lessons: Test Like It’s Life or Death – Real-world stress testing beats optimism every time Decide Smarter – Use William’s five paths to respond to failure: fix, pivot, quit, accept, or ignore (spoiler: never ignore) Learn Before You Leap – Pre-mortems and customer journey maps help avoid “uh-oh” moments before they happen Get Out With Grace – Even struggling businesses can sell—if you structure the deal right Mentorship Is Free—Use It – The smartest founders ask for help early and often Host: Tyler Martin, Think Business Podcast Want to build a business that avoids dumb mistakes? Let’s talk: 📅 Book a Strategy Call https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy 🎧 Subscribe: ThinkBusinessWithTyler.com Follow Tyler: 🔗 LinkedIn 📸 Instagram ▶️ YouTube 🎵 TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Seitz went from dental school dropout to building a $150M+ national franchise in the pet services industry with no private equity and no shortcuts. What started with a family grooming shop in 1977 has grown into EarthWise Pet, a multi-brand platform with over 200 brick-and-mortar and mobile locations, 1,400+ employees, and a one-of-a-kind AI-powered pet dietitian. But Michael didn’t just expand a family business; he reinvented what pet retail and service could look like at scale. By blending deep industry expertise with bold operational moves (including acquiring 42 stores in a single day), he built a business that serves pets and empowers franchisees while keeping ownership in the hands of real operators. In this no-fluff, tactical episode, Michael shares: Why franchising surges during economic downturns How he scaled without VC or PE funding What went wrong with two major acquisitions (and how he recovered) His “buy then flip” strategy that lowers franchisee barriers How EarthWise uses AI to build authority, not cut costs The make-or-break moment in founder partnerships Why building the right team is more important than EBITDA Key Lessons: Grow With Purpose – Scale isn’t just about size—it’s about systems, talent, and strategic timing Franchise the Right Way – Say no often, protect the culture, and hand-pick operators who expand Let Go to Grow – Founders must release control and ego to evolve as leaders Talent Is a Growth Strategy – Use M&A to bring in people, not just profits Tech With Trust – AI should empower your customers, not replace your values Host: Tyler Martin, Think Business Podcast Want to build a service business that actually scales? Let’s talk: 📅 Book a Strategy Call https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy 🎧 Subscribe: ThinkBusinessWithTyler.com Follow Tyler: 🔗 LinkedIn 📸 Instagram ▶️ YouTube 🎵 TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

William Milliken went from digital marketing agency owner to building a multimillion-dollar business scooping dog poop, and turned it into an empire of opportunity. What started with a $1,200 Facebook ad budget and a willingness to get dirty has grown into Swoop Scoop, a fast-scaling service company with over 2,500 weekly customers and a booming online community. But Will didn’t just build a business; he built a playbook for blue-collar entrepreneurs. With no VC cash, no complex tech, and no fancy office, he scaled through brand power, ruthless efficiency, and relentless execution. The result? A scalable, systemized business with franchise-level potential—and a community that’s generating nearly $1M a year on its own. In this no-fluff, highly tactical episode, Will shares: Why he turned down 100+ franchise requests to stay in control How he uses quarterly billing to boost retention and lifetime value His dead-simple customer acquisition funnel that still works today The $2/hour hiring strategy that’s beating Amazon and FedEx How his YouTube channel adds 40+ paid community members a week What new founders get wrong (and why logos don’t matter) Why low-barrier service businesses might be the ultimate growth hack Key Lessons: Moats Matter – Even in commodity services, brand + speed = defensibility Start Dirty, Scale Smart – The right execution makes “ugly” businesses unstoppable Billing is a Growth Lever – Extend payment cycles, extend customer life Team Like a Pro – Better jobs = better people = better business Simple Wins – Keep it lean, keep it fast, and keep it focused Host: Tyler Martin, Think Business Podcast Want to build a service business that actually scales? Let’s talk: 📅 Book a Strategy Call https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy 🎧 Subscribe: ThinkBusinessWithTyler.com Follow Tyler: 🔗 LinkedIn 📸 Instagram ▶️ YouTube 🎵 TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Snyder went from $100 and a bag of spirulina to building an 8-figure superfoods brand—without a single dollar of outside funding. What started with borrowed packaging and orders fulfilled from a local health shop has grown into Forest Superfoods, a thriving ecommerce business known for premium, organic supplements. But Justin didn’t get there by following the playbook. He bet on brand integrity, lightning-fast fulfillment, and lean operations instead of flashy marketing and investor cash. The result? A business built on trust, profitability, and purpose—with zero compromises. In this transparent and tactical conversation, Justin shares: How walking away from a cofounder unlocked 10x growth Why “Cheap Superfoods” was the worst (and best) brand mistake he made The exact moment he decided to never raise outside capital How daily cold plunges became his personal business therapy Why speed, simplicity, and product purity became his competitive edge The small daily habit that keeps his company moving forward How a trip to India sparked the idea behind Forest Superfoods Key Lessons: Bootstrap with Brains – Why scrappy beats sexy when building a lasting brand Rebrand with Intention – Your name isn’t just a label, it’s a message Ditch the VC Dream – Growth doesn’t require giving up control Serve with Speed – Operational excellence is your marketing Clarity Over Complexity – Great businesses are often the simplest Host: Tyler Martin, Think Business Podcast Ready to build something on your terms? Let’s talk: 📅 Book a Strategy Call https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy 🎧 Subscribe: ThinkBusinessWithTyler.com Follow Tyler: 🔗 LinkedIn 📸 Instagram ▶️ YouTube 🎵 TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Estil Wallace went from addiction and jail to building a multimillion-dollar recovery center—by applying the same 12-step grit to entrepreneurship. What started with 10 beds and a mission has grown into one of Arizona’s leading behavioral health agencies. But it didn’t happen by playing it safe. Estil had to stop doing $10 tasks, hand over control, and become the kind of CEO his company actually needed. The result? Exponential growth, a rock-solid culture, and a leadership style rooted in radical ownership—not ego. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Estil shares: The exact moment his team told him to stop being the bottleneck Why clinical outcomes and cash flow are his north stars How trying to help everyone at once led to mass client dropouts The 2 filters every decision at Cornerstone must pass through The one business book he reads like a textbook—not just once How moving furniture for $8/hr taught him more than school ever did Why recovery and business are both messy, nonlinear, and worth it Key Lessons: Step Back to Scale: Why the best founders eventually fire themselves from the weeds Outcomes Over Optics: How Estil measures real success—and fixes what’s broken Hire for Heart: Why degrees matter less than mission-alignment Own the Mess: Leadership starts with radical responsibility Program-Led Growth: Why service expansion beats property expansion every time Host: Tyler Martin, Think Business Podcast Ready to build something resilient? Let’s talk: 📅 Book a Strategy Call https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy 🎧 Subscribe: ThinkBusinessWithTyler.com Follow Tyler: 🔗 LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/thinktyler 📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/think_tyler ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinktylercfo 🎵 TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@thinktyler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marcos Rivera went from a 410-square-foot apartment in the Bronx to running one of the fastest-growing pricing consultancies in tech—Pricing IO. But six months after launching his business, the world shut down. Clients vanished. Revenue dried up. And Marcos faced the question every founder dreads: Should I quit and go back to corporate? With two young kids and a newborn, he nearly did. Until his wife looked him in the eye and said: “Keep effing going.” That moment became a turning point. Not just for his company—but for how he leads, makes decisions, and helps other founders scale with purpose, pricing clarity, and systems that protect their time. This episode is a masterclass in building a business that works for your life—not the other way around. Marcos reveals: Why fear is often a sign you're on the right track How to scale your business without losing time with your family The biggest pricing mistakes founders make (and how to fix them) His "Trampoline" system for running lean, clear, and scalable teams How to lead with vulnerability—and why it builds more trust Why cashflow management is the #1 lever under $10M The simplest way to land your first clients—with zero pitching Key Lessons Bet on You: Marcos left a high-paying private equity job because he valued time over titles. Keep Going: What he did when COVID hit just months after launching Pricing IO. Productize to Scale: How he turned service delivery into repeatable, profitable systems. Start with Hello: His first clients came from reconnecting—no pitch, just genuine check-ins. Pricing is Power: Why your monetization model is the fastest path to revenue clarity. Host: Tyler Martin, Think Business Podcast Want to run a business that doesn't burn you out? Let’s talk: 📅 Book a Strategy Call https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy 🎧 Subscribe: ThinkBusinessWithTyler.com Follow Tyler: 🔗 LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/thinktyler 📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/think_tyler ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinktylercfo 🎵 TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@thinktyler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Graeme Barlow went from selling digital loot at age 10 to scaling Iversoft past $10M by doing what most founders won’t—letting go of control to grow faster. But when a major funding round fell through and his company was down to negative 60 days of cash, Graeme had to face the hardest leadership moment of his career: telling 28 employees to take their computers home—because there might not be an office tomorrow. That experience reshaped his view on business. Not moonshot visions or hustle culture—but discipline, cash clarity, and systems that don’t rely on heroes. Now, he’s helping founders scale by focusing less on being “the guy” and more on building resilient companies that thrive without them. This episode is a masterclass in founder evolution. Graeme reveals: The harsh truth about why your raise isn’t real until the wire hits Why over-diversifying your service offering can tank your team The single financial ritual that saves companies from running out of cash Why “cold calls > clever marketing” under $1M in revenue What World of Warcraft taught him about team management How to know when to kill a pet project—and how to let it go Why the real CEO job is: don’t run out of money, set direction, get great people Key Lessons Let Go to Grow: Why removing yourself from the day-to-day is the only path to scale. Focus or Fail: How trying to be everything to everyone nearly sank Iversoft. Forecast or Die: Why Graeme refuses to work with founders who don’t forecast cash weekly. Revenue First: If you’re under $1M, cold calls solve more than strategy ever will. System-Driven Leadership: How to stop being a bottleneck and start being a builder. Host: Tyler Martin, Think Business Podcast Want to run a business that doesn’t run on chaos? Let’s talk: 📅 Book a Strategy Call https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy 🎧 Subscribe: ThinkBusinessWithTyler.com Follow Tyler: 🔗 LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/thinktyler 📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/think_tyler ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinktylercfo 🎵 TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@thinktyler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Terry Rich went from farm kid to national TV, led a zoo from near-bankruptcy to success, then uncovered the biggest lottery fraud in U.S. history. But it wasn’t luck or gimmicks that made him a turnaround expert—it was a relentless mix of creativity, calculated risk, and an unshakable ethical compass. When handed a $600K deficit at a failing zoo, he didn’t raise millions—he sold poop. Literally. Then raised $15M. At the state lottery, he scaled profits from $58M to $100M—and when a $16M fraud threatened everything, he said no to pressure, exposed the scam, and protected public trust. Now, he teaches leaders how to spot fraud before it happens, engage teams with “no judgment” idea culture, and turn failure into their biggest asset. This episode is packed with real-world lessons from one of America’s boldest business troubleshooters. Terry shares: Why failure is the first step to success (and his Tonight Show story proves it) The wild story behind selling lion poop—and how it saved the zoo Why internal fraud really happens—and the 3 signs to watch for The C.O.T. method he created to drive innovation in risk-averse teams How to create a speak-up culture that protects your business What it really takes to lead multi-million-dollar turnarounds Why he believes success is like cocaine—and how that fuels entrepreneurs Key Lessons Failure Fuels Innovation: Terry’s greatest business ideas came from flops, not wins—and he teaches you how to leverage yours. Zoo Brew & Poop Sales: Sometimes the craziest ideas (like alcohol at a zoo or selling manure) are what save a business. Fraud Detection Culture: Spotting fraud isn’t about luck—it’s about culture. Terry shows how he trained teams to speak up early. The $16M Ethical Stand: Under immense pressure, Terry chose integrity—and the result built public trust (and boosted lottery sales). Entrepreneurial Grit: From MTV to municipal zoos to state lotteries, Terry’s story proves resilience beats resources every time. Host: Tyler Martin, Think Business Podcast Struggling to scale and grow? Let’s talk: 📅 Book a Strategy Call https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy 🎧 Subscribe: ThinkBusinessWithTyler.com Follow Tyler: 🔗 LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/thinktyler 📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/think_tyler ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinktylercfo 🎵 TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@thinktyler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Ritsema bought a tech business at the worst possible time—right before the industry collapsed. Three months in, he hadn’t taken a paycheck, had no leads, and had just remortgaged his house to survive. Most people would’ve walked away. Michael kept showing up. Then two deals landed. It changed everything. That persistence didn’t just save the business—it laid the foundation for a thriving IT company, multiple acquisitions, and eventually, full ownership after buying out every partner. Now, he’s passing on hard-earned lessons from the trenches of entrepreneurship: how to survive downturns, grow through uncertainty, and lead with both strategy and empathy. This episode is a blueprint for building a durable business. Michael shares: What it really feels like to face bankruptcy as an owner Why resilience beats perfect timing—every time The warning signs of a bad partnership and how to exit with integrity The real story behind recurring revenue and how it transformed his business Why sales discipline—not talent—is what separates winners The DISC framework that helped him build a balanced leadership team How peer groups and benchmarking took his growth to another level Key Lessons Resilience Over Perfection: Why showing up and staying in the game often wins over strategy alone. Own the Risk: How betting on himself—and later, buying out partners—gave him full control of his business destiny. Sell Like a Pro: Why disciplined follow-up and consistent outreach will always outperform the latest sales “hack.” Recurring Revenue = Freedom: How pivoting from hardware to services gave him stability through volatile markets. Know Thyself: Why self-awareness and emotional intelligence are must-haves for long-term leadership. Host: Tyler Martin, Think Business with Tyler Podcast Ready to stop riding the financial rollercoaster and build a business that lasts? 📅 Book a Strategy Callhttps://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy 🎧 Subscribe: ThinkBusinessWithTyler.com Follow Tyler: 🔗 LinkedIn 📸 Instagram ▶️ YouTube 🎵 TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Bush Jr went from investment banker managing $30B deals to "coffee salesman with a cause," then built a business model that's reshaping how celebrities create global impact. But when his NBA legend partner Dikembe Mutombo was diagnosed with cancer, and a global pandemic shut down international supply chains, he discovered what truly matters in business... Not celebrity endorsements or fancy marketing—but systems that outlast any individual and purpose that weathers any storm. Now, he's creating the blueprint for how mission-driven companies can transform entire industries while maintaining financial resilience. This episode is a masterclass in building businesses with genuine impact. Robert reveals: * Why starting in a recession is the ultimate competitive advantage * How to scale impact-driven businesses without sacrificing profitability * The shocking way COVID created unexpected partnerships that became long-term assets * Why "sharpening your blade" during crisis reveals who's really built to succeed * The metaphor exercise that transforms how entrepreneurs approach challenges * How NBA stars are now studying his model to create their own legacy businesses * The triple bottom line approach that balances people, planet and profit Key Lessons Coffee as Catalyst: How a humble beverage became the vehicle for transformative social change across continents. Crisis-Proof Planning: Why "always expect a shock" became the foundation of their business model—and saved them when tragedy struck. Resilience Through Humor: The wagon spring philosophy that prevents entrepreneurs from being thrown off course. Beyond Celebrity: How to build brands that transcend individual personalities and create lasting impact. Purpose-Driven Profit: Why solving meaningful problems naturally generates sustainable returns. Host: Tyler Martin, Think Business Podcast Struggling to scale profitably? Let's talk: 📅 Book a Strategy Call https://calendly.com/tylermartin/strategy 🎧 Subscribe: ThinkBusinessWithTyler.com Follow Tyler: 🔗 [Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/thinktyler) 📸 Instagram: http://instagram.com/think_tyler ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinktylercfo TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@thinktyler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices