The Start Build Grow Show

EP 293. How Business Owners Can Use Virtual Assistants & AI to Buy Back Their Time

In this episode, I sit down with Andrew Hathaway, an experienced entrepreneur and business strategist, to uncover how service-based business owners can reclaim their time, scale effectively, and avoid burnout. Andrew shares his personal journey through extreme burnout, the mental and emotional toll of running a business without support, and the steps he took to regain balance while growing his ventures. We dive into actionable strategies for leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT to generate leads, improve visibility, and automate routine business processes, showing how technology can be a true "power-up" for entrepreneurs. He also breaks down the importance of building a team that thinks ahead—starting with an exceptional executive assistant, even from overseas—and how delegation can free business owners to focus on high-impact tasks. Andrew explains why outsourcing, automation, and consistent content creation are essential in today's rapidly changing business landscape. Toward the end of the conversation, Andrew offers practical advice on time and energy audits, prioritizing work that drives both revenue and fulfillment, and how these steps create freedom in business and life. If you're a business owner looking to work smarter, scale faster, and avoid burnout while embracing the latest AI and automation strategies, this episode will give you a clear framework to start reclaiming your time and growing your business more strategically.

EP 292. Leveraging AI and Offshore Talent to Scale Your Company With Brad Stevens

In this episode, I sit down with Brad Stevens, a serial entrepreneur and founder of Outsource Access, to break down how business owners can actually scale using AI, systems, and offshore talent—and why most entrepreneurs are doing it completely wrong. Brad shares his journey from launching businesses at a young age to building and scaling multiple companies across 18 countries, including growing Outsource Access to hundreds of team members in just a few years. We talk about why 2026 is the year of execution when it comes to AI, how offshore teams are changing the game for small to mid-sized businesses, and what it really takes to build a scalable operation without burning out. We also dive into the real story behind how Outsource Access was built—starting from a major business setback that forced Brad to rethink everything. From product failures and cash flow pressure to discovering the power of global talent, he breaks down how adversity led to one of the most impactful business pivots of his career. Brad shares how top operators are leveraging offshore teams not just to save money—but to increase efficiency, improve operations, and create true leverage inside their business. He also unpacks the biggest mistakes business owners make when hiring virtual teams, and how to actually build a high-performing remote workforce that drives growth. Toward the end of the conversation, we get into leadership, delegation, and why most entrepreneurs stay stuck doing everything themselves. Brad explains how to identify what you should not be doing, how to buy back your time, and how to build a business that isn't dependent on you for every decision. If you're a contractor or business owner looking to scale smarter, leverage AI and global talent, and build a business that can grow without you being the bottleneck, this episode will give you a clear framework to start building real leverage in your company.

EP 291. How to Recruit a High-Performance Sales Team with Thomas Domin

In this episode, I sit down with Thomas Domin, a serial entrepreneur and founder of RTS, to break down what it really takes to build, scale, and sell a business—and why most contractors struggle to get there. Thomas shares his journey from the military to running multiple car dealerships, and eventually building a multi-million dollar finance company from scratch—starting at his kitchen table and betting everything on himself. We talk about what separates real entrepreneurs from the rest, why going "all in" isn't optional, and how discipline and fundamentals play a massive role in long-term success. His philosophy is simple: Go all in or don't go at all. We also dive into what it actually looks like to build a business that has value—not just one that depends on you. From wearing every hat in the early days to learning how to step back and delegate, Thomas breaks down why most owners trap themselves in their own companies and how to avoid it. He shares real insights on building systems, developing people, and creating a business that can run without you. Toward the end of the conversation, we get into sales leadership and recruiting high-performing teams—why duplicating yourself is the key to scaling, and how the best companies build systems that outperform any single individual. If you're a contractor or business owner looking to scale, build real enterprise value, and create a business that doesn't rely on you to survive, this episode will give you a clear roadmap to do it the right way.

EP 290. Are You Actually Using JobNimbus Correctly?

In this episode, I sit down with Brie Reis, CEO of Elite Roofing and Solar, and Taymar Parry, Member Success Coach and CRM specialist at The Roofing Academy. This roundtable dives into the challenges and solutions around using JobNimbus to streamline roofing operations, from sales-to-production handoffs to job submission processes, supplement tracking, and reporting for full business visibility. Brie shares lessons from leading one of Denver's fastest-growing roofing companies, while Taymar brings insights from helping clients implement JobNimbus for real results. Together, they break down how roofing contractors can clean up their workflows, reduce mistakes, and scale efficiently using JobNimbus as the backbone of their operations. Whether you're a contractor looking to optimize your CRM, gain better visibility into your business, or improve communication across your team, this episode is packed with actionable strategies straight from seasoned experts.

EP 289. How to create the WOW factor to help you smash sales records

In this episode, I sit down with John Dwyer, a globally recognized marketing strategist and founder of The Institute of WOW, to break down the creative marketing strategies that help businesses stand out in crowded markets. John has spent decades helping companies generate attention, leads, and sales through what he calls "WOW marketing"—campaigns designed to capture curiosity and give customers a compelling reason to choose you over everyone else. Throughout our conversation, John shares the simple but powerful concept behind the "Happy Meal Toy" marketing strategy—adding an irresistible bonus or incentive to your offer that shifts the conversation away from price and toward value. From creative promotions to attention-grabbing campaigns, he explains how businesses can turn ordinary services into offers that people actually get excited about. We also dive into real-world examples of these strategies in action, including how businesses have generated massive engagement through contests, creative promotions, and incentive-based marketing. John explains why reducing friction in your marketing dramatically increases leads, how simple landing pages outperform complicated funnels, and why creativity often beats bigger ad budgets. His philosophy is simple: Make your marketing impossible to ignore. Toward the end of the conversation, John shares practical ideas contractors and service businesses can implement immediately—from running strategic contests that attract homeowners to using value-driven incentives that turn everyday promotions into powerful lead-generation machines. If you're a contractor, entrepreneur, or business owner looking for creative ways to attract more customers, generate better leads, and stand out from competitors without competing on price, this episode will open your mind to a completely different way of thinking about marketing.