In this episode, Kelly Costello and Bernd Geropp discuss effective leadership, hiring strategies, and the importance of attitude over skills in building a motivated team. They explore practical approaches to testing potential employees and the costs associated with training, offering valuable insights for entrepreneurs and managers.

Key Topics

Promoting employees based on potential and attitude

Using project assignments to test leadership skills

The cost and emotional toll of training employees

Hiring B players and training them into A players

The importance of clear, black-and-white job roles

Challenges of hiring in niche markets like e-commerce

Deciding whether to grow or maintain a lean operation

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Puppy Cake and Kelly's Journey

00:33 Navigating Growth and Team Dynamics

04:33 Training and Developing Employees

10:57 Deciding on Business Growth and Employee Models

15:31 FI023 Outro.mp3

Links Mentioned in the Show:

AI and Leadership Course: https://fipodcast.vip/ai

Checklists for Leaders: https://berndgeropp.com/check

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Kelly Costello - Puppy Cake - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycostello

Puppy Cake - https://www.puppycake.com

Credits:

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/

In this episode, Kelly Costello shares insights on building resilient teams, promoting within, and maintaining company operations during absences. Discover practical strategies for effective delegation, promoting accountability, and preparing your business for sale or transition.

Key Topics

Hiring and training staff in rural areas

Delegation and cross-training for business continuity

Promoting managers with the right resilience and decision-making skills

Handling business absences and owner vacations

Strategies for business sale and partnership opportunities

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Puppy Cake and Kelly's Journey

00:37 Navigating Growth and Team Dynamics

03:12 Building a Resilient Business Structure

04:53 The Sellability of a Business

07:25 Strategic Partnerships and Growth Opportunities

09:10 Challenges in Promoting Employees

13:33 Finding the Right Talent

15:01 Training and Developing Employees

Links Mentioned in the Show:

AI and Leadership Course: https://fipodcast.vip/ai

Checklists for Leaders: https://berndgeropp.com/check

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Kelly Costello - Puppy Cake - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycostello

Puppy Cake - https://www.puppycake.com

Credits:

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/

In this episode, Kelly Costello shares her journey of building Puppy Cake, managing growth, and maintaining a lean, owner-operated business. We explore strategies for automation, customer relationships, and aligning business operations with personal goals.

Key Topics

Business growth strategies

Automation in manufacturing

Customer relationship management

Owner-operator business model

Product development and market fit

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Puppy Cake and Kelly's Journey

04:39 Navigating Growth and Team Dynamics

09:42 Revisiting the Entrepreneurial Dream

13:13 Core Competencies and Operational Efficiency

19:47 Marketing Strategies and Customer Relationships

23:32 Building a Resilient Business Structure

Links Mentioned in the Show:

AI and Leadership Course: https://fipodcast.vip/ai

Checklists for Leaders: https://berndgeropp.com/check

Leadership Crash Course: https://fipodcast.vip/crashcourse

Weekly Actionable Leadership Tips: https://fipodcast.vip/xbzv

Kelly Costello - Puppy Cake - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellycostello

Puppy Cake - https://www.puppycake.com

Credits:

Host: Bernd Geropp

Moderator: Brian Creager

Producer: Brian Creager

Editor: Brian Creager

Executive Producer: Bernd Geropp

To catch the great episodes coming up on Founder Independence, please follow us on Bernd's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast player. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave us a comment or a starred review. It's the best way to help us get these ideas to more people.

If you would like new episodes emailed directly to you, subscribe at https://www.berndgeropp.com/subscribe/