Sparking The Fuse

About Sparking The Fuse

Real conversations with the leaders sparking growth in their businesses. Host Chris Cook explores the wins, failures, and breakthroughs that fuel progress. If you’re building, scaling, or leading—this podcast will light your next fuse.

Publisher

Chris Cook

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

1 Dec 2025

Latest episode

29 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

27 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   29 Oct 2026

   Tony Stemen: Moving Upward, Not Uphill

   Tony Stemen of Talent Growth Partners shares how to grow a people-first business with AI. Learn how AI can free up time for relationships instead of replacing them. Talent acquisition and leadership lessons from nearly 20 years in recruiting. Chris Cook interviews Tony Stemen of Talent Growth Partners, who draws on nearly 20 years in talent acquisition to explain how the firm grew from executive recruiting into broader people consulting. They discuss using AI to create efficiencies while protecting human relationships, adapting hiring practices to candidates’ real needs, and what it takes to grow without losing a people-first culture. Key Takeaways - Use AI to free up time for relationships, not to automate human connection - AI tools built on company data save recruiters two to five hours a week - There is no such thing as a perfect candidate - Separate non-negotiable skills from wish-list criteria - Repeated vacancies can point to onboarding or development gaps - Leaders must examine their own capabilities and be willing to evolve Chapters 00:00 Meet Tony Stemen and Talent Growth Partners 01:25 From Christian education degree to recruiting 03:14 How resume mining sparked a talent-sourcing career 06:14 Turning sourcing expertise into a 15-person team 09:04 The founding team’s complementary strengths 11:08 Why the firm expanded beyond executive search 14:04 Helping clients address the real problem 16:01 AI efficiencies without automating human connection 18:16 The ambition to triple the business in five years 20:43 AI change and leadership humility as growth challenges 24:11 Protecting a people-first culture as the firm scales 26:39 Hiring for the whole person, not just the resume 29:19 Why there is no perfect candidate 32:30 Adaptability, critical thinking, and human connection 37:10 Why in-person connection still matters 40:26 Where to connect with Tony and Talent Growth Partners Keywords: Tony Stemen, Talent Growth Partners, talent acquisition, executive recruiting, leadership development, people operations, AI in recruiting, business growth, human connection, hiring, Sparking the Fuse 🔗 Connect With Chris LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scalewithchris/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/scalewithchris/) Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/ (https://www.fivefuse.com/) 🔗 Connect With Today’s Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonystemen/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonystemen/) Website: https://www.talentgrowthpartners.com/ (https://www.talentgrowthpartners.com/) 🎧 Listen on Other Platforms Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756 (https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756) Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431) 📸 Socials Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/)

2. 

   26 Oct 2026

   Simon Zryd: The Exit-First Mindset That Changes How You Build a Business

   Simon Zryd, founder of Denver Business Coach, shows how to build a business you can actually sell. Learn the growth plateaus, leadership skills, and enterprise value moves that prepare you for exit. A practical conversation on scaling, strategic planning, and exit-first thinking for small business owners. In this episode of Sparking the Fuse, Chris sits down with Simon Zryd, founder of Denver Business Coach. Simon shares his path from Switzerland to entrepreneurship and what he has learned about building a business that lasts. They cover the stages of growth, the capacity plateaus that stall owners, how to build a leadership team, and why enterprise value is the real measure of impact. Simon also explains how to adapt your business model for expansion and prepare for exit by building transferable assets. Key Takeaways - Start with the end in mind to build a saleable business - Humble beginnings can lead to big growth with the right strategy - Scaling requires developing leadership and management skills - Strategic planning is often overlooked in small businesses - Building a community within your advisory network enhances value Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Simon Zryd and Denver Business Coach 01:56 Simon’s journey from Switzerland to entrepreneurship 04:02 Evolution of Denver Business Coach and its vision 06:01 Key lessons on growing a successful business 09:51 Common growth plateaus and how to overcome them 11:56 Building leadership teams for scale 16:04 Measuring impact through enterprise value 20:08 Growth journey of Denver Business Coach 24:02 Adapting business models for expansion 28:02 Preparing for exit and building transferable assets 31:47 Future plans and exciting opportunities 35:58 Advice for entrepreneurs and continuous learning Keywords: business growth, entrepreneurship, business scaling, exit strategy, enterprise value, leadership, business coaching, strategic planning, business valuation, Simon Zryd, Denver Business Coach, Sparking the Fuse 🔗 Connect With Chris LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scalewithchris/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/scalewithchris/) Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/ (https://www.fivefuse.com/) 🔗 Connect With Today’s Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonzryd/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonzryd/) Website: https://denverbusinesscoach.com/ (https://denverbusinesscoach.com/) 🎧 Listen on Other Platforms Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756 (https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756) Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431) 📸 Socials Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/)

3. 

   21 Oct 2026

   Regan Bach: How Better Teams Turn Conflict Into High Performance

   Regan Bach went from whitewater kayaking to executive coaching. Here is how better teams turn conflict into high performance. Learn why trust, healthy disagreement, and following your instincts define great leaders. Hear Regan Bach of Better Faster Further on culture, coaching, and systemic change. Regan Bach shares his path from whitewater kayaking to executive coaching and entrepreneurship. We talk about how athletic principles carry into corporate leadership, why trust and healthy conflict drive high-performing teams, and how repetition builds confidence in executive roles. Regan also covers systemic change, growing a coaching firm through reputation, and where Better Faster Further is headed. Key Takeaways - Trust your instincts as a leader and make decisions confidently - Healthy conflict is essential for high-performing teams, so avoid toxic or passive conflict - Repetition and experience build confidence in executive roles - Effective coaching combines academic frameworks with real-world experience - Organizations thrive when leaders create trust and accountability Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Regan Bach and his background 01:05 From whitewater kayaking to executive coaching 02:20 Lessons learned from action sports and outdoor adventures 04:32 The role of coaching in developing raw talent 08:18 How coaching helps break patterns and improve performance 09:03 The founding of Better Faster Further 11:05 Systemic change and scaling organizations 14:06 Overcoming imposter syndrome in executive roles 16:09 The importance of experience and real-world learning 18:50 Growth through word of mouth and reputation 21:50 What makes organizations high performing 23:38 Healthy conflict and team dynamics 26:04 Leadership style and organizational culture 28:43 Adapting to different organizational stages 33:48 The science and art of organizational change 36:02 Mental models for understanding organizations 38:37 Future vision for Better Faster Further 41:49 Integrating wellness and performance in leadership 43:07 Advice for entrepreneurs and leaders 45:32 Connecting with Regan Bach and next steps Keywords leadership, high performance, executive coaching, organizational culture, conflict resolution, team trust, entrepreneurship, systemic change, coaching 🔗 Connect With Chris LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scalewithchris/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/scalewithchris/) Work With Five Fuse: https://www.fivefuse.com/ (https://www.fivefuse.com/) 🔗 Connect With Today's Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reganbach (https://www.linkedin.com/in/reganbach) Website: https://betterfasterfurther.com/ (https://betterfasterfurther.com/) 🎧 Listen on Other Platforms Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756 (https://open.spotify.com/show/5rgYjB8RxYKfgvOf1PrNFv?si=0dd85415f6174756) Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431 (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sparking-the-fuse/id1857737431) 📸 Socials Five Fuse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/five-fuse/)

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.