Outsource to Profits Podcast

Episode: 146 DESCRIPTION: A conversation about building business development through in-person events, the actual costs and conversion math behind them, and why trust still outperforms scale in an AI-driven world. Covers venue selection, room size, follow-up persistence, and the tradeoffs between live events, outbound, and paid media as a business grows.   ABOUT THE HOST: Jamie Shanks hosts Outsource to Profits and leads Get Levrg, a company built around helping founders scale through offshore talent and leverage rather than headcount. He's built and scaled three agencies of his own, and brings that operator experience into every conversation on the show. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/   ABOUT THE GUEST: Laura Wang is the Founder of Injoy, where she blends human expertise with AI to help startups and entrepreneurs scale. She built her path from freelance beginnings to running her own agency, working with founders across Canada and around the world. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurawg/   EPISODE SUMMARY: Jamie and Laura Wang trade notes on what actually makes live events work as a business development engine. They get into venue economics, ideal room size, and how trust built in person compounds into referrals and partnerships. Laura shares how a handwritten gift once converted a client, while Jamie breaks down the cost math that took him from zero to seven figures, and where live events stop scaling on their own.   WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH: The pricing detail that quietly doubles your event cost without changing turnout Why one specific room size keeps showing up as the sweet spot A personal gesture that turned into a client relationship The point in a company's growth where events stop being enough on their own What separates a founder chasing volume from one building intentional rooms Why persistence after multiple "no"s pays off later, and when

Episode: 145 A conversation about why burnout isn't caused by overwork but by the number of identities a person tries to hold at once. The discussion moves through the stages of recognizing burnout, why balance and juggling don't actually work, and what it takes to prioritize down to what matters. ABOUT THE HOST: Jamie Shanks has built and scaled three agencies over his career and now leads Get Levrg, a company built around offshore talent and systemized leverage. As host of Outsource to Profits, he brings that same operator's lens to conversations about running lean, scalable businesses. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/ ABOUT THE GUEST: Kiran Mann is CEO of Brar's, a Canadian food manufacturing and restaurant chain, and Founder of M2M Business Solutions Inc., a consulting and advisory firm. She works with leaders on closing the gap between business success and personal fulfillment. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiranmann23/ EPISODE SUMMARY: Two founders trade stories on burnout. The kind that comes from juggling too many identities at once. Kiran Mann walks through her own reckoning around age 40, the failed attempts at "balance" and "juggling," and the moment she landed on prioritizing instead. Along the way, she unpacks the guilt that shows up when you finally try to change, and why the people around you resist that change too. WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH: Why the usual fixes for burnout don't actually fix anything The three-stage pattern most people go through before they change What happens the first time you try to protect your own time Why the people closest to you might resist you changing A word that replaced "balance" and "juggle" for one CEO The physical warning signs that show up before burnout hits   #BurnoutRecovery #FounderMindset #IdentityAndLeadership #WomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurLife #LeadershipBurnout #WorkLifeIntegration #ScalingABusiness #OutsourceToProfits  

Episode: 144 A manufacturing leadership team hits a wall during a sudden demand surge, convinced that hitting new production targets simply isn't possible. Bringing in outside expertise exposes a deeper divide: one group treats it as a lifeline, the other as a threat to their competence. The conversation digs into why pride and trust, not capability, are usually what keep teams stuck.   ABOUT THE HOST: Jamie Shanks founded Get Levrg after building and scaling three separate agencies, learning firsthand what breaks when growing companies try to do everything in-house. He now hosts Outsource to Profits to unpack how founders and executives build leverage instead of bottlenecks. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/   ABOUT THE GUEST: Ron Harper spent 18 years as President and CEO of JFE Shoji Power Canada Inc., supplying the electrical steel and components critical to motors and transformers, before recently stepping into semi-retirement. His career spans navigating major demand shifts in the electrical equipment supply chain, including the surge tied to grid expansion and EV growth coming out of the pandemic. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rjharper4/   EPISODE SUMMARY: Ron Harper shares how a post-pandemic demand spike pushed his team past what they believed was possible and how his own frustration at not solving it alone led him to bring in outside help. He breaks down why two internal teams responded to that help in completely opposite ways, what that revealed about trust and ego in leadership, and how clear goals and proactive communication closed the gap.   WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH: The real reason founders resist outside help, and it's rarely about cost What separates a team that leans into change from one that braces against it A 25-year CEO's honest take on where his own pride actually cost his business How to tell the difference between bringing in judgment versus bringing in improvement The low-risk way one consultant structured their engagement so trust could build first What changes when leaders explain "why" before they explain "what" TOP HASHTAGS: #OutsourceToProfits #ElectricalSteel #ManufacturingLeadership #ScalingOperations #OutsourcingStrategy #FounderMindset #SupplyChainGrowth #BusinessConsulting #LeadershipLessons

Episode: 144 Change is inevitable, but most founders are too deep in the day-to-day to see it coming until it's already disrupting everything. This episode unpacks why leaders have to transform themselves before they can transform their teams, and what it actually takes to build a business that sustains growth through constant uncertainty.   ABOUT THE HOST:  Jamie Shanks is the founder of Get Levrg and host of Outsource to Profits. A three-time agency builder who has navigated the shift from social selling to AI, Jamie brings a hard-won perspective on what it means to embrace change at every stage of a business and why the founder always has to go first.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/ ABOUT THE GUEST:  Anne Bloom is a Business Advisor, leadership coach, strategist, and author at Your Aspire Coach. A CPHR-certified professional and certified Ikigai practitioner, Anne works with executives and leadership teams who are done fighting the same fires year after year, helping them transform how their businesses operate, grow, and sustain success in a world that won't slow down.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annebloomcphr/   EPISODE SUMMARY:  Anne Bloom joins Outsource to Profits to tackle the leadership challenge most founders avoid — change. She explains why growth is optional, but change is not, why self-awareness must come before organizational transformation, and how tools like Ikigai help leaders understand their own purpose before expecting their teams to follow. She also shares how her book, No Going Back, frames technology adoption and sustainable growth as leadership responsibilities rather than IT problems.   WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH: Why change resistance is a leadership problem and not a people problem How to lead transformation when your team didn't sign up for it What Ikigai reveals about your leadership style in under two hours Why technology adoption needs a policy before it needs a platform How to think about sustaining growth, not just achieving it The mindset shift every founder needs before asking their team to change   #LeadershipDevelopment #ChangeManagement #FounderMindset #BusinessTransformation #Ikigai #NoGoingBack #FutureProofBusiness #OutsourceToProfits #SustainableGrowth

Episode: 143 Handing a business from one generation to the next sounds messy, but it doesn't have to be. This episode breaks down how a son spent 16 years earning the right to lead, what made the transition nearly seamless, and the financial and cultural moves every founder should be making long before succession ever becomes a conversation. ABOUT THE HOST:  Jamie Shanks is the founder of Get Levrg and host of Outsource to Profits. Having built and scaled three agencies, Jamie helps business leaders leverage offshore talent, smart systems, and operational structure to grow beyond themselves and build something worth handing off.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/ ABOUT THE GUEST:  Mike Libbey is a Partner and COO at YBL, a virtual accounting and advisory firm serving growth-focused businesses across Canada. A co-founder of EdgeFlow, a workflow automation platform for financial advisors, Mike joined his father's accounting firm 16 years ago and has spent the last six years quietly running the business before formally taking over, proving that the best successions are built long before they're announced.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-libbey/ EPISODE SUMMARY:  Mike Libbey joins Outsource to Profits to share one of the most quietly successful family business transitions you'll hear. He walks through how 16 years of side-by-side growth, earned trust, and a pick-your-battles philosophy made handing over the keys almost painless. The conversation covers how to handle concerns about nepotism, when to have the uncomfortable succession conversations, and why running your business as if you're about to sell it is always the right move. WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH: Why succession planning should start much earlier than feels necessary How to earn authority without relying on the family name The pick-your-battles approach that keeps family businesses functional What structures and specialists you need before a transition happens Why rebranding and going virtual changed everything internally and externally How to future-proof a business when AI is moving faster than your roadmap #FamilyBusiness #BusinessSuccession #VirtualCFO #FounderGrowth #AccountingForFounders #YBL #BusinessTransition #OutsourceToProfits #ScalingWithClarity

Episode: 142 Getting airdropped into an existing team is one of the hardest leadership challenges a founder or executive will ever face. This episode breaks down how to earn trust before asserting authority, how to surface what's really going on beneath the surface, and how a single sales principle from another industry closed a $1.3 million deal in one meeting.   ABOUT THE HOST:  Jamie Shanks is the founder of Get Levrg and host of Outsource to Profits. Having scaled three agencies from the ground up, Jamie knows the difference between building a team from scratch and inheriting one — and why the playbook for each looks nothing alike.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/   ABOUT THE GUEST:  Tina Jesso is a Branch Manager at Royal LePage Integrity Realty and a sales leader with over 30 years of experience building high-performing teams in financial services and beyond. Certified in Success Coaching and Core Genius Training, Tina brings a people-first leadership philosophy to real estate — one built on clarity, recognition, and helping agents grow on their own terms.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessotina/   EPISODE SUMMARY:  Tina Jesso joins Outsource to Profits to share what happens when a seasoned sales leader gets airdropped into an established team. She walks through her listening tour approach, how she evaluated culture before ever accepting the role, and the weekly recognition systems she built to make agents feel seen and heard. She also shares how a cross-industry closing principle helped one of her agents sign a $1.3 million client in a single meeting.   WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH: Why your credentials can wait — and when to finally use them How to run a listening tour that actually surfaces the real issues The three things every inherited team needs to feel before they'll follow you Why flying under the radar is a strategy, not a weakness How one-and-done closing applies far beyond real estate What cross-industry sales principles can unlock in your own team   #LeadershipDevelopment #SalesLeadership #TeamInheritance #RealEstateLeadership #FounderGrowth #TalentDevelopment #ClosingStrategies #OutsourceToProfits #PeopleFirst

Episode: 141 Most founders aren't losing because they lack effort; they're losing because they're doing things in the wrong order. This episode unpacks why credibility has to come before trust, trust before loyalty, and why, without that sequence, every marketing dollar you spend is just expensive noise. ABOUT THE HOST:  Jamie Shanks is the founder of Get Levrg and host of Outsource to Profits. A three-time agency builder who's systematized everything from internal communication to revenue operations, Jamie is a firm believer that 80% of business problems trace back to a communication breakdown, and this episode proves it.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/ ABOUT THE GUEST:  Angela McKenna is the Founder of OMERA Press and a publishing and marketing strategist with two decades of experience across publishing, sales, and marketing. A Certified Sales Professional and award-winning author of four children's books, Angela built OMERA Press to give serious independent authors the structured presence and strategic platform their work deserves.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelaemckenna/ EPISODE SUMMARY:  Angela McKenna joins Outsource to Profits to reframe what growth actually requires. She breaks down why most founders stall not from lack of effort, but from skipping steps — selling before building belief, amplifying before anchoring, and posting before positioning. Drawing on her publishing and sales background, Angela walks through her three-pillar presence framework and explains why structured visibility always outperforms raw activity. WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH: Why sequencing matters more than effort in your growth strategy The difference between activity and infrastructure How to build credibility before you've earned trust What structured visibility actually looks like in practice Why inconsistent messaging doesn't stall growth, it resets it How to align your online, organic, and in-person presence simultaneously #BrandingStrategy #FounderGrowth #ContentMarketing #StructuredVisibility #OMERAPress #ThoughtLeadership #MarketingForFounders #OutsourceToProfits #CredibilityFirst

Episode: 140 In a world of DMs, paid ads, and digital funnels, most founders have quietly deprioritized the one growth strategy that still can't be automated. This episode makes the case for why face-to-face networking remains one of the highest-leverage moves a founder can make and what most people get completely wrong the moment they walk in the room.   ABOUT THE HOST: Jamie Shanks is the founder of Get Levrg and host of Outsource to Profits. From cold calling without a computer to building a multi-seven-figure agency through a single networking event, Jamie's career is a masterclass in why showing up in rooms still matters, no matter how sophisticated your digital go-to-market gets.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/   ABOUT THE GUEST: Evelyn Tang is the Founder of EVX Productions, a digital production and content creation company competing in the sports and media industry. A self-described diehard basketball fan and creative entrepreneur, Evelyn has built her business and her network from the ground up, proving that genuine passion, personability, and showing up in the right rooms can open doors that no resume ever could.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelyn-tang-08ab28320/   EPISODE SUMMARY:  Evelyn Tang joins Outsource to Profits to challenge the assumption that networking is a relic of a pre-digital era. She shares how ditching the resume-style introduction and leading with genuine passion transformed her early hustle in sports media into real partnerships and clients. The conversation covers how to read a room, why the quietest person is often the most valuable, and why every person you walk past is a connection you don't yet know you need.   WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH: Why your intro is the problem, and what to lead with instead How to read a room before you've spoken to anyone Why the loudest person is rarely the most valuable one to know The assumption that quietly burns networking opportunities before they start Why online resources haven't replaced what only a room can give you How genuine curiosity converts faster than any elevator pitch   #Networking #FounderGrowth #BusinessDevelopment #SportsMedia #EVXProductions #YoungEntrepreneurs #GoToMarket #OutsourceToProfits #NetworkingTips

Episode 139 Chasing growth without a clear reason is one of the fastest ways to build a business that exhausts everyone and rewards no one. This episode breaks down how to reverse-engineer a growth plan from your core purpose, why discipline and accountability have to come before vision, and what separates founders who scale sustainably from those who just get bigger. ABOUT THE HOST:  Jamie Shanks is the founder of Get Levrg and host of Outsource to Profits. Across three agencies and decades of hard lessons, Jamie has seen firsthand what happens when growth becomes the goal rather than the outcome, and now he helps founders build the systems and leverage that make scaling intentional.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/ ABOUT THE GUEST: Matt Hansen is a Professional EOS Implementer with EOS Worldwide and a seasoned business leader who has created hundreds of millions in shareholder value across industries ranging from aerospace to manufacturing. A holder of nine US patents, he now brings that same depth of operational and strategic experience to help entrepreneurial teams cut through chaos and build businesses that actually deliver what their founders envisioned.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-hansen001/ EPISODE SUMMARY:  Matt Hansen joins Outsource to Profits to challenge the "grow at all costs" mindset that quietly derails so many founders. He shares a personal aerospace horror story about chasing a contract that should never have been won, and contrasts it with a reconstruction business founder whose purpose-driven growth created an entire ecosystem of like-minded partners. The conversation zeroes in on core focus as the only reliable filter for sustainable scale. WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH: Why growth without a reason is actually a liability The core focus filter and how to apply it before saying yes to anything Why accountability has to come before vision, not after What purpose-driven growth actually looks like in practice How to stop using competitor moves as your growth strategy The difference between a business that gets bigger and one that gets better #EOS #PurposeDrivenGrowth #FounderMindset #EOSImplementer #ScalingWithIntent #BusinessOperatingSystem #CoreFocus #OutsourceToProfits #EntrepreneurialOperatingSystem  

Episode: 138 Most founders underestimate how much their presence, not their words, shapes the way their team and customers follow them. This episode digs into the nonverbal signals, blind spots, and audience awareness that separate leaders who command rooms from those who lose them without ever knowing why. ABOUT THE HOST:  Jamie Shanks is the founder of Get Levrg and host of Outsource to Profits. Having scaled three agencies from scrappy startups to global operations, Jamie brings a candid, hard-earned perspective on what it means to grow as a leader while your business grows around you.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshanks/ ABOUT THE GUEST: Kevin Wayne Johnson is the Founder and CEO of The Johnson Leadership Group LLC, a 16-time literary award-winning author, executive coach, and keynote speaker with a 34-year federal government career behind him. A Marine's son and servant leader at heart, Kevin pours into aspiring and seasoned leaders across government, corporations, nonprofits, and academic institutions with one mission: better leaders make a better world.  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwaynejohnson/ EPISODE SUMMARY: Kevin Wayne Johnson joins Outsource to Profits to break down what leadership presence actually looks like before a single word is spoken. Drawing on his military upbringing and decades in government, Kevin walks through why perception is reality, how blind spots quietly erode credibility, and why knowing your audience is the most underrated leadership skill a founder can develop. He closes with a simple but powerful framework: know better, do better, lead better. WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH: Why your nonverbal presence is already telling a story Your blind spots and how to fill the gap before it costs you What "knowing your audience" actually means at every stage of growth How leadership expectations shift as your team scales past 10 and 30 Why generic leadership advice is a warning sign A three-step framework for turning self-awareness into better leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching #FounderMindset #ServantLeadership #LeadersAreLearners #BusinessGrowth #KnowYourAudience #OutsourceToProfits #JohnsonLeadershipGroup