LEVEL 2: Veteran Business Strategist on Why Following Your Competitors Is the Fastest Way to Fail

LEVEL SIX: Pharma Innovator On Franchising, Bootstrapping and Long Term Success

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379864/fan_mail/new] LEVEL 6: $50M – $150M  GOVERNANCE, DATA & SERIOUS INFRASTRUCTURE  On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Barry Patel, Founder and CEO of Galt Pharmaceuticals, a company redefining how pharmaceutical businesses are built, scaled, and distributed.  Starting with no outside investors and bootstrapping his way through one of the world’s most heavily regulated industries, Barry shares how he built a pharmaceutical company using an unconventional franchise model, why he believes founders should avoid raising capital for as long as possible, and the surprising leadership lessons that came from realizing he had become the bottleneck in his own business.  We also dive into the realities of scaling in healthcare, navigating FDA regulations, building systems that create competitive moats, and what it takes to lead a company where every decision carries significant financial and human consequences.  Whether you're building your first business or leading a company through rapid growth, Barry’s insights on leadership, resilience, systems, and long-term value creation offer a masterclass in playing the business game at a high level.  Let’s dive in, with Barry Patel:   • How Barry bootstrapped a pharmaceutical company without investors  • The unconventional franchise model powering Galt Pharmaceuticals  • Why founders often become the bottleneck to growth  • The hidden challenges of scaling in highly regulated industries  • Building systems, structure, and competitive moats  • Why creating value matters more than chasing money  • Barry’s philosophy on leadership, stoicism, and long-term success  If business truly is a game, Barry Patel’s approach to winning might surprise you.  The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 [https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88]  This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379864/support] Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheBusinessGamePodcast], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@thebusinessgamegroup], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-business-game-podcast], Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com [http://www.thebusinessgamepodcast.com] It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

LEVEL 2: Veteran Business Strategist on Why Following Your Competitors Is the Fastest Way to Fail

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379864/fan_mail/new] LEVEL 2: $1M – $3M FIRST TEAM, FIRST SYSTEMS  Most founders think scaling is about working harder... but Michael Barbarita learned the opposite.  In today's episode of The Business Game, Michael shares lessons from more than 30 years building and operating businesses across retail, manufacturing, finance, and service industries. From growing a retail company from $2.5 million to $8 million in under five years to serving as a CFO, Treasurer, board member, and business advisor, he's seen what actually drives sustainable growth.  We discuss delegation, systems, the 80/20 Rule, strategic partnerships, and why many founders accidentally become the biggest obstacle to their own growth.  Whether you're building your first team or trying to create a business that can grow without relying on you for everything, this episode is packed with practical insights.  Let’s dive in  with Michael Barbarita:  • Why most founders struggle with delegation  • The 80/20 Rule in business  • How to stop being the bottleneck  • Systems that support growth  • Strategic partnerships and joint ventures  • The biggest scaling mistakes business owners make  • Lessons from building and advising multiple companies  Connect with Michael:  Website: www.nextstepcfo.net [http://www.nextstepcfo.net/]  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbarbarita/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbarbarita/]  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379864/support] Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheBusinessGamePodcast], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@thebusinessgamegroup], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-business-game-podcast], Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com [http://www.thebusinessgamepodcast.com] It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

LEVEL TWO: A Software Pro Tells Us Why Claude Is The Best Developer He's Ever Worked With

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379864/fan_mail/new] What if the best software developer for your business isn't an agency, a freelancer or even an employee?  According to Paul Salvage - Chief AI Officer & founder of Productly - the best developer for your business is... you.  In this episode of The Business Game, Paul explains why AI is fundamentally changing software development, why traditional agencies are becoming obsolete, and how founders can now build products themselves with the help of tools like Claude. With over 30 years of experience in product development, Paul has seen every major technology shift firsthand. He shares how AI has compressed development timelines from months to weeks, why owning your technology is becoming critical for startups, and how business owners can use AI to gain a competitive advantage.   Let's dive in with Paul Salvage: * Why agencies are being disrupted by AI   * The new "build with you" model for software development   * How founders can create products without coding   * The role AI agents are playing inside modern businesses   * Common mistakes businesses make when adopting AI   * What happens to companies that fail to adapt If you're building a startup, running a service business or simply trying to keep up with the pace of AI innovation, this is the episode you want to hear! Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379864/support] Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheBusinessGamePodcast], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@thebusinessgamegroup], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-business-game-podcast], Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com [http://www.thebusinessgamepodcast.com] It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

LEVEL ONE: AI Growth Expert on the AI Trick That Saves Me Hours Every Week

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379864/fan_mail/new] LEVEL TWO: $1M to $5M FIRST TEAMS, FIRST SYSTEMS STAGE  On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Robyn Anderson, Founder of JAM AI and creator of Club JAM. One of the fastest-growing AI communities helping small business owners actually understand and implement AI into their day-to-day operations.  After building 17 different AI courses around tools that quickly became obsolete, Robyn realized the real opportunity wasn’t selling information… it was building a community that could evolve alongside the speed of AI itself.  Now, with hundreds of members inside Club JAM, Robyn helps entrepreneurs use tools like Claude, ChatGPT, NotebookLM and AI agents to save time, streamline operations, and scale smarter, even while balancing motherhood, consulting, speaking gigs, and building the business mostly between 4:30AM and school drop-off.  If you’re trying to understand AI without getting overwhelmed, build smarter systems, create leverage in your business, or simply keep up with how fast technology is changing...  this episode is for you!  Let’s dive in, with Robyn Anderson:  • why she almost gave up trying to keep up with AI  • the biggest mistake she made building 17 AI courses too early  • why Claude is becoming the go-to AI tool for business owners  • how she creates custom AI-generated podcasts for herself every day  • the simple prompt every business owner should try immediately  • how AI can help build systems, SOPs, marketing, and operations  • why community became more valuable than selling courses  • the truth about AI “slop” and fake AI content online  • why personal brands should stop relying on AI avatars  • how she built a growing AI business while raising two kids  • the hidden challenge of hiring people into AI-powered businesses  • how she uses AI to save massive amounts of time every single day  • the emotional AI interview process that made members laugh and cry  • why speaking for free became the growth engine for her business  • how to start using AI without feeling overwhelmed  The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses  High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 [https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88]  This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.  Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379864/support] Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheBusinessGamePodcast], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@thebusinessgamegroup], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-business-game-podcast], Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com [http://www.thebusinessgamepodcast.com] It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.

LEVEL 3: Second-Generation Agency Leader on Modernising a 60-Year-Old Business Without Ruining It

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379864/fan_mail/new] LEVEL 3: $3M – $8M  DELEGATION & EARLY LEADERSHIP STAGE  On today’s episode of The Business Game, we’re sitting down with Chad G. Bauer, owner of SR&B Advertising, a second-generation agency leader navigating the pressure of modernising a 60-year family business without losing the legacy that built it.  After stepping into the company founded by his father, Chad realised the biggest bottleneck wasn’t the market... it was himself. In this episode, he shares the hard lessons around delegation, building a leadership layer, letting go of control, and evolving from founder-operator into a true CEO. From difficult conversations with his father to creating systems that allowed the business to run without him being involved in every decision, this episode is packed with practical insights for founders stuck in the messy middle of growth.  Let’s dive in with Chad G. Bauer:  * Why self-awareness changed Chad’s leadership style   * The moment he realised he was the bottleneck   * Building managers and leadership structure for the first time   * Hiring systems that filter out the wrong people fast   * The pressure of inheriting a family legacy business   * Why “scaling isn’t about doing more”   If you’re trying to step out of the day-to-day, build a stronger team, and grow without carrying the entire business on your back... this episode is for you. The Business Game is proud to partner with HighLevel, the all-in-one CRM and marketing platform built for growing businesses  High Level’s software will drive your customer retention and your profits through the stratosphere - so click here for your 14-day free trial: https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88 [https://www.gohighlevel.com/?fp_ref=ribu88] This episode contains affiliate advertising. The Business Game Group is a GoHighLevel affiliate. If you sign up through the link in the show notes, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2379864/support] Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business. Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap. For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheBusinessGamePodcast], TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@thebusinessgamegroup], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-business-game-podcast], Facebook and Instagram. Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework? Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com [http://www.thebusinessgamepodcast.com] It's time to Level Up! We’ll see you at the next level.