The Built to Scale Podcast

About The Built to Scale Podcast

Every entrepreneur wants more growth, but few talk about what it actually takes to sustain it. Built to Scale is the podcast for business owners who are ready to stop wearing every hat and start building a company that can grow without depending on them for everything. Hosted by entrepreneur and operations strategist Maggie Olson, each episode features honest conversations with founders, operators, marketers, and industry experts who have built real businesses...not just talked about building them. Together, we explore the systems, leadership, marketing, sales, automation, technology, and decision-making that turn growing businesses into scalable ones. Whether you're wondering why your business still depends on you, trying to simplify your operations, improving your client experience, or preparing for your next stage of growth, every episode is designed to give you practical strategies you can put into action immediately. This isn't a podcast about chasing the latest trend or working more hours. It's about building a business that's profitable, sustainable, and designed to support the life you actually want. If you're ready to stop operating in constant reaction mode and start building with intention, you're in the right place. New episodes feature solo strategy sessions, candid founder stories, and interviews with experts who share what really works behind the scenes of successful businesses. Because scaling isn't about doing more, it's about building better.

Publisher

Maggie Olson

Category

business · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

29 Jul 2026

Latest episode

26 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

12 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   26 Oct 2026

   Why Your Messaging Isn’t Converting (And How to Fix It) with Michaela Taylor

   What if there isn't a magical sentence that's suddenly going to make everyone want to buy from you? I know, it might feel a little rude, but if you've spent hours trying to find the perfect hook, positioning statement, or content strategy that will finally make everything click, this episode is for you. Today, I'm sitting down with Michaela Taylor, founder of Michaela Star Marketing, to talk about what actually makes messaging convert, why market research is one of the most underrated tools in your business, and how to create content that does the selling for you. We're digging into the difference between content that sounds good and content that actually brings in leads and sales, why going viral isn't necessarily the goal, and how consistency, connection, and understanding your ideal client can completely change the way you approach marketing. We also talk about simplifying your messaging, using AI without losing your voice, and why building relationships with the people already in your audience might be one of the most valuable things you can do for your business. Episode Highlights [04:13] - Why market research is the secret to messaging that actually connects with your ideal clients and builds confidence in what you're selling. [07:46] - The difference between messaging that's technically fine and messaging that actually converts, including how to get more specific about what your clients really want. [09:15] - How to create content that does the selling for you using authority, brand awareness, identity, and conversion-focused messaging. [12:19] - Why consistency matters more than constantly changing your messaging, and how to know when it's time to make adjustments. [15:56] - Why going viral isn't necessarily the answer to organic lead generation and how slower, more intentional growth can attract the right people. [18:53] - The most common messaging mistakes coaches and service providers make, from being too vague to overcomplicating their content. [28:16] - How networking, podcasting, and genuine conversations in the DMs can help you generate organic leads without complicated systems or automations. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to rate, follow, share, and leave a review for the Built To Scale Podcast. And if something from today's conversation really hit home, slide into my DMs and let me know! I love hearing what you're taking away from these conversations. I'll see you next week!

2. 

   4 Oct 2026

   Stop Being the Bottleneck: How to Build a Business That Runs Without You with Isaiah Grant

   What if the very thing that helped you build your business is now the thing keeping it from growing? In this episode of the Built to Scale Podcast, Maggie Olson sits down with Isaiah Grant, founder of Kingdom Impact, to talk about one of the hardest transitions entrepreneurs face: moving from being involved in everything to building a business that can operate without them. Isaiah shares how working 12- to 15-hour days eventually led him to burnout—and forced him to rethink the way he was building his company. That experience became the catalyst for creating stronger systems, delegating key responsibilities, automating client success, and shifting from trading time for money to building a business designed to scale. Maggie and Isaiah also dig into founder dependency, delegation, hiring, sales systems, webinars, automation, and why rest can actually reveal the weaknesses in your business. Timestamps 00:00 – Are you the thing preventing your business from growing? 01:23 – Meet Isaiah Grant and the mission behind Kingdom Impact 02:10 – Working 12-15 hour days and hitting burnout 03:20 – The mindset shift that changed how Isaiah built his business 04:34 – Turning strategy into systems and scalable processes 05:58 – Why entrepreneurs struggle to prioritize rest 07:53 – Rest as a business audit 08:59 – Moving from trading time for money to building assets 10:54 – Hiring the team that helped Isaiah scale past $1 million 11:23 – The danger of building a company completely dependent on you 12:56 – Why time matters more than money 15:41 – The hardest thing Isaiah had to delegate 16:11 – The Four C’s of hiring 18:07 – Isaiah’s 10-80-10 delegation model 21:38 – Why sales is often automated too early 24:43 – The surprising impact of automating client success 27:55 – Can profit and purpose coexist? 30:06 – The “Five Ones” business model 32:45 – The biggest bottlenecks Isaiah sees in growing businesses 33:14 – Using books, webinars, and chat to create predictable sales 34:14 – Why conversations are still essential in business 37:31 – What Isaiah intentionally stopped doing to grow faster 38:02 – How to get comfortable selling through webinars 40:52 – Why conviction in your offer matters 41:42 – What “built to scale” means to Isaiah 42:11 – Why tracking your numbers changes your decisions 45:49 – Treating your sales system like an experiment 47:03 – Where to connect with Isaiah Grant 47:47 – Closing thoughts About Isaiah Grant Isaiah Grant is the founder of Kingdom Impact, a company focused on helping founders write bestselling books and use those books to generate predictable clients. Isaiah shares that Kingdom Impact has been operating for more than a decade and has worked with coaches, consultants, authors, speakers, and agency owners. In the episode, he explains how his own experience with burnout led him to redesign his business around systems, delegation, automation, and founder independence. His approach centers on helping entrepreneurs create businesses that are profitable, purpose-driven, and less dependent on the founder for every decision. Connect with Isaiah Grant Isaiah says listeners can find him on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn by searching for Isaiah Grant. He also shares resources through Kingdom Impact, including a newsletter and a masterclass for entrepreneurs interested in writing and publishing a bestselling book and using it to generate clients. Subscribe to Built to Scale If this episode made you rethink how much your business currently depends on you, subscribe to the Built to Scale Podcast for more conversations about systems, strategy, leadership, automation, and building a company that grows without consuming your life. Share this episode with a founder who is ready to stop being the bottleneck and start building a business that can truly scale. Next Episode Join Maggie Olson for another conversation about what it really takes to move beyond hustle, create better systems, and build a business designed for sustainable growth.

3. 

   25 Sept 2026

   How to Turn Visibility Into Revenue: Local SEO, AI & Systems with Jonah Bautista

   What if your business isn’t struggling because you’re bad at what you do—but because the right people can’t find you, trust you, or reach you fast enough? On this episode of Built to Scale, Maggie Olson sits down with Jonah Bautista, CEO of Atlanta Pro Network, to unpack how service-based businesses can turn visibility into actual revenue through smarter local SEO, faster lead follow-up, automation, authority building, and scalable systems. Episode Summary Jonah Bautista helps home service contractors become easier to find, easier to trust, and easier to hire. After years of helping e-commerce entrepreneurs build and scale businesses across platforms like Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Shopify, and Etsy, Jonah shifted his attention toward the home service industry—where strong relationships, local trust, and operational systems can create a major competitive advantage. In this conversation, Maggie and Jonah explore why great work alone isn’t always enough to grow a business. They break down the importance of Google Business Profile optimization, local search visibility, AI-powered discoverability, CRM automation, speed-to-lead, authority building, and the systems that make a business more valuable and less dependent on the owner. They also dig into one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face as they grow: becoming the bottleneck in their own business. Timestamps 00:00 - Why referrals can become a ceiling 02:01 - Meet Jonah Bautista and Atlanta Pro Network 03:45 - Why Jonah focused on the home service industry 06:31 - The best contractor vs. the contractor winning the work 08:58 - What actually matters for visibility today 10:04 - Why websites and Google Maps are foundational 12:08 - Using CRM automation to create more revenue 13:15 - Why business owners need to think about their exit 14:50 - Building a company that can eventually be sold 16:12 - Creating systems that reduce the owner’s mental load 18:20 - Speed-to-lead: where businesses lose revenue 20:12 - Using automation and AI to respond faster 21:09 - The Atlanta Pro Network one-contractor-per-market model 24:02 - Why local community and trust still matter 26:11 - Building authority through PR, content, and backlinks 28:03 - Why being “too busy” can actually be a systems problem 28:52 - Jonah’s idea for tracking how business owners spend their time 30:54 - Why the owner is often the biggest bottleneck 31:25 - The simple checklist habit that transformed Jonah’s productivity 33:55 - One thing contractors can do this week to become easier to find 34:31 - Google Business Profile optimization 36:31 - What “Built to Scale” means to Jonah 38:09 - Delegation, systems, and breaking through revenue ceilings 39:38 - Where to connect with Jonah Bautista 40:58 - Final thoughts About Jonah Bautista Jonah Bautista is the CEO of Atlanta Pro Network, where he helps home service contractors improve their visibility, authority, lead generation, and business systems. Before focusing on the home service industry, Jonah spent approximately six years running an agency that worked with e-commerce entrepreneurs across major platforms including Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Temu, Shopify, and Etsy. Today, his work focuses on helping service businesses strengthen their online presence, improve local search visibility, automate lead follow-up, create stronger operational systems, and ultimately build businesses that can grow beyond the owner. Connect with Jonah Bautista Website: AtlantaProNetwork.com Social Media: Search Atlanta Pro Network on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and other major platforms Next Episode Stay tuned for more conversations on Built to Scale with entrepreneurs, operators, and experts sharing the systems, strategies, and lessons that help businesses grow without creating more chaos for the people running them. Subscribe & Share If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Built to Scale wherever you listen to podcasts. And if you know a contractor, service-based business owner, or entrepreneur who is great at what they do but struggling with visibility, leads, or capacity, share this episode with them.

4. 

   13 Sept 2026

   Ep 009 - The Truth About Scaling: Why Simpler Businesses Grow Stronger

   Episode Summary A business can generate significant revenue and still be completely unsustainable behind the scenes. In this episode, Maggie shares what she sees inside growing businesses every day: scattered systems, undocumented processes, disconnected software, missed follow-ups, overwhelmed teams, and founders who are afraid to step away because everything still depends on them. She explains why this usually isn’t a revenue problem, it’s an operations problem. You’ll learn how to rethink scaling, identify the systems your business actually needs next, and strengthen your operational foundation before growth exposes the cracks. Maggie also walks you through a simple two-week exercise that reveals exactly where your business is still too dependent on you. Because a truly scalable business shouldn’t just make more money. It should give you more freedom. Timestamps 00:00 - What if everything you’ve learned about scaling is wrong? 00:29 - Scaling might actually mean becoming simpler 00:58 - Building sustainable, scalable, and profitable businesses 01:26 - What does “Built To Scale” actually mean to you? 01:55 - Why “scale” has become a business buzzword 02:49 - Defining scaling on your own terms 03:17 - Why successful business owners are still overwhelmed 03:47 - Can your business survive you taking a real vacation? 05:12 - Why we’ve misunderstood what scaling really is 06:36 - Why Maggie created The Built To Scale Podcast 07:30 - What business operations look like behind the scenes 08:26 - Sticky notes, scattered documents, passwords, and disconnected software 09:25 - The overwhelmed founder holding everything together 10:01 - Why many growing businesses don’t have a revenue problem 10:28 - The hidden operations problem behind business growth 10:56 - Building a business that supports you instead of depending on you 12:24 - Why Maggie thinks of scalable businesses like bridges 13:16 - What it looks like when your business can function without you 14:13 - Consistent client onboarding and clear team expectations 14:43 - Letting technology support the business instead of complicating it 15:48 - Systems create consistency; people create relationships 16:15 - The mindset shift required for sustainable scaling 16:45 - Stop asking, “How can I get bigger?” 17:11 - Ask instead: “How can my business become stronger?” 17:39 - Why growth exposes every crack in your foundation 18:38 - How systems repair operational cracks 19:07 - The two-week scalability test 19:35 - What happens if you disappear from your business for 14 days? 20:29 - How to identify the next system you need to build 20:58 - A simple example using social media scheduling 22:24 - Documenting a process so someone else can eventually own it 23:24 - Why you don’t need to build every SOP at once 24:23 - Can your business create freedom instead of dependency? 24:52 - Maggie’s own shift toward building businesses that don’t need her for everything 25:50 - Why your business is capable of becoming scalable 26:50 - Podcast in a Box from Sattva.io 27:18 - Build better and share what you’re building The Two-Week Scalability Test Maggie shares a simple exercise to uncover the next operational system your business needs. Imagine that you had to completely step away from your business for 14 days. No email. No Slack. No phone calls. No checking in. Then ask: Would your clients still be taken care of? Would new leads receive a response? Would invoices still go out? Would projects continue moving forward? Would your team know exactly what to do? If the answer to one of those questions is no, you’ve likely found the next system your business needs. You don’t have to solve everything at once. Choose one area, create a better process, document it, and continue strengthening the foundation from there. Your Action Step This Week Choose one part of your business that would stop working if you stepped away for two weeks. Don’t try to redesign your entire company. Instead: Identify the weakness. Simplify the process. Document how it works. Then ask yourself how it could eventually be automated, delegated, or made easier. One system at a time is how you build a stronger business. If You Enjoyed This Episode If this episode changed the way you think about scaling, subscribe to The Built To Scale Podcast, leave a review, and share it with another entrepreneur who is building something meaningful. Next Episode Teaser In the next episode, we’ll continue exploring how to build a business that can grow without creating more complexity—because the goal isn’t simply to build something bigger. It’s to build something stronger.

5. 

   11 Sept 2026

   Ep 008 - How to Scale Multiple Businesses Without Burning Out with Becca Francis

   How to Scale Multiple Businesses Without Burning Out with Becca Francis Can you successfully grow two completely different businesses without losing momentum, or yourself in the process? In this episode of The Built To Scale Podcast, Maggie Olson sits down with Becca Francis, Human Design teacher, certified psychic medium, healer, and digital product entrepreneur, to explore what it really takes to build multiple income streams while staying aligned with your energy. Episode Summary Becca shares how she went from spending 15 years trying unsuccessful side hustles to leaving her corporate career after discovering Human Design—and eventually building a thriving global education business alongside her psychic mediumship practice. She breaks down the business-model shift that helped her move from high-ticket coaching to scalable digital products, including turning a program she once sold for $10,000 into a $47 offer that opened the door to a completely different audience. Maggie and Becca also dig into the less glamorous side of growth: impatience, comparison, software overload, inconsistent focus, burnout, and the temptation to turn every great idea into another business. They discuss how Human Design can provide a practical framework for understanding your decision-making, energy, business bottlenecks, and capacity for sustainable growth. Ultimately, this conversation is a reminder that a business isn't truly built to scale unless you can sustain the life that comes with it. Key Takeaways You don't necessarily have to choose one thing. For some entrepreneurs, having multiple interests and businesses is part of how they're designed to operate. Scalability can require changing the business model. Becca transformed years of existing content into low-ticket digital products and reached an entirely new market. Hire support before you're desperate for it. Bringing in a VA early gave Becca someone who understood the systems and moving parts as the business grew. Comparison can become a business bottleneck. Curating who you follow can protect your focus, creativity, and ability to make decisions based on your own business. Not every exciting idea needs to become an offer. Creating space between inspiration and action can prevent unnecessary products, software purchases, and pivots. Growth isn't sustainable if you're constantly burning out. Rest, health, relationships, and flexibility need to be part of your definition of scale. Timestamps 00:00 - Can you successfully build two completely different businesses? 01:14 - Meet Becca Francis: Human Design teacher and psychic medium 02:52 - Maggie's Human Design journey and using it as a parent 05:46 - How understanding your energy can change the way you work 06:20 - How Human Design and mediumship became two sides of Becca's business 07:00 - 15 years of failed side hustles before finding the right path 08:29 - Discovering Human Design and finally leaving corporate 09:50 - Training as a psychic medium with Lisa Williams 11:17 - The shift from $2K months to major revenue growth 11:43 - Changing from high-ticket coaching to scalable digital products 13:01 - Turning existing intellectual property into low-ticket offers 14:46 - Why entrepreneurs don't always need to “find the one thing” 17:46 - Using Human Design signals to identify business frustration 18:52 - Building systems and support across two businesses 19:13 - Why Becca hired a VA before she desperately needed one 20:55 - Kajabi, software costs, and knowing when not to switch platforms 22:28 - The danger of buying tools because of great marketing 24:13 - A decision-making framework for bigger purchases 27:45 - Becca's biggest business bottleneck: impatience 29:24 - The habit that transformed her focus 29:35 - Why Becca unfollowed almost everyone in her industry 32:09 - Using social media for expansion instead of comparison 33:45 - What if social media could actually be fun? 38:04 - What Becca intentionally stopped doing to grow 38:27 - Burnout, overworking, and learning when to slow down 40:46 - Why every interest doesn't need to become a business 42:21 - One way to make your business feel lighter this week 44:11 - What “Built To Scale” means to Becca 45:41 - Where to connect with Becca 46:03 - Becca's Human Design money-block and intuition resources 47:09 - Final thoughts and how to support the podcast About Becca Francis Becca Francis is a Human Design teacher, certified psychic medium, and healer who has built two complementary yet distinct businesses. Through Human Design education, self-paced digital products, live psychic-mediumship programs, and readings, Becca helps people better understand their energy, intuition, decision-making, and personal growth. Her own journey took her from years in corporate and countless unsuccessful side hustles to building a scalable online business serving students around the world. Resources & Links Mentioned Becca Francis: Website: beccafrancis.com Instagram: @thebeccafrancis TikTok: @beccafrancismedium Free Human Design Money Tool: beccafrancis.com/money Use Becca's AI-powered tool to explore potential money blocks within your Human Design and receive ideas for working through them. Free 5-Day Intuition Challenge: beccafrancis.com/intuition A five-day experience designed to help you reconnect with your intuition and explore your psychic abilities. If You Enjoyed This Episode If this conversation helped you rethink what sustainable growth can look like, subscribe to The Built To Scale Podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with another entrepreneur who's trying to build a business without sacrificing themselves in the process. Connect with Maggie Olson at @maggielynmentoring and follow Sattva at @sattva.io for more conversations about systems, scaling, entrepreneurship, and building a business that supports the life you actually want.

6. 

   25 Aug 2026

   Ep 007 - When Is It Time to Walk Away From Success?

   There’s a big difference between building a business and building something that can actually scale. In this episode of the Built To Scale Podcast, I sit down with Jeff for a conversation about entrepreneurship, growth, technology, and the lessons he’s learned building businesses—including taking an initiative at Amazon from a one-person operation to a multimillion-dollar business. We talk about what happens when you’re willing to start before you have everything figured out, pay attention to the data, and keep challenging yourself to grow. But this conversation goes beyond business strategy. We dig into the personal side of entrepreneurship: knowing when to tune out the noise, taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually, learning from every chapter of your career, and having the humility to recognize that you simply can’t do everything yourself. We also talk about why real, face-to-face conversations still matter in a social-media-driven world and the power of simply being yourself as you build what’s next. Episode Highlights [35:49] - Why simply acknowledging what needs to change is already a form of growth—and how taking that first scary step creates momentum. [36:43] - Looking back at the different businesses I’ve built and how every chapter—from corporate to photography to owning a yoga studio—gave me skills I could carry into the next one. [40:03] - Jeff shares what he intentionally stopped doing to grow: getting caught up in online comments, doom scrolling, and spending valuable time on distractions that don’t move the business forward. [41:56] - Why founders have to prioritize their physical, mental, and spiritual well-being—and what Jeff learned from neglecting those things while traveling heavily for Amazon. [44:31] - Why a simple conversation with someone at a coffee shop could become a butterfly catalyst—and why developing the ability to connect face-to-face can set you apart in an increasingly digital world. [48:51] - Jeff’s challenge for anyone staring at a blank page: be the author, start writing, go after what you want—and above all, be you. [50:31] - What “Built To Scale” means to Jeff, including the lessons he learned growing a one-person Amazon initiative into a multimillion-dollar business and why scaling requires trust, humility, and other people. Links & Resources Jeff’s Website: kingdom-bitcoin.com (http://kingdom-bitcoin.com/) Jeff’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeffhasselman (http://linkedin.com/in/jeffhasselman) If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you follow, rate, share, and leave a review for the Built To Scale Podcast. And send this episode to another founder or entrepreneur who needs the reminder that you don’t have to have the whole path figured out—you just have to be willing to start.

7. 

   17 Aug 2026

   Ep 006 - What Happens When Success No Longer Fits?

   What happens when the business you built is working, but you know deep down it’s no longer where you’re meant to be? In this episode of the Built To Scale Podcast, I sit down with Octavia, a feminine energy embodiment coach who made the bold decision to walk away from a thriving astrology business after six years and completely reinvent her work. We talk about what it really takes to pivot when you’re not running away from failure, but moving toward something that feels more aligned. Octavia shares how she navigated the fear of leaving behind a profitable identity, balanced intuition with practical financial preparation, rebuilt her messaging and offers, and stayed consistent when her new direction initially felt like starting from scratch. We also dig into routines, self-trust, burnout, taking risks, and why sometimes scaling your business starts with being willing to let go of what’s already working. Episode Highlights [02:20] - Why walking away from a successful astrology business felt like letting go of an identity, and why Octavia knew she needed room to expand. [04:47] - The lessons six years in business taught Octavia about consistency, routine, marketing, and learning to trust yourself enough to improvise. [08:01] - Recognizing the moment when “when you know, you know” became impossible to ignore—and how a move to a new city helped mark the beginning of a new chapter. [10:37] - Balancing intuition with strategy, including nervous system regulation, managing fear, and making sure there was enough financial stability to take the leap. [13:22] - What actually goes into rebranding a business, from changing content and marketing to finding a voice that feels more authentic and aligned. [21:02] - The routines and weekly non-negotiables that help Octavia stay consistent, clear-headed, and visible even when the results don’t happen immediately. [25:36] - What Octavia intentionally stopped doing to grow: listening to fear, worrying about what other people think, and believing that working harder has to mean burning yourself out. Links & Resources Octavia shares her Instagram and Facebook, where she posts content, free resources, and ways to work with her: She also discusses The Embodied Feminine, her four-week program for women focused on feminine energy, the inner masculine, becoming more magnetic, and bringing those principles into business and sales. https://www.facebook.com/share/1DQAZsoEVH/ (https://www.facebook.com/share/1DQAZsoEVH/) https://www.facebook.com/share/1DQAZsoEVH/ (https://www.facebook.com/share/1DQAZsoEVH/) https://www.instagram.com/sirian_cosmic_goddess (https://www.instagram.com/sirian_cosmic_goddess) If you enjoyed this conversation, make sure to follow, rate, share, and leave a review for the Built To Scale Podcast. Every bit of support helps this podcast reach more entrepreneurs who need these conversations, and I’m so grateful you’re here. See you in the next episode!

8. 

   7 Aug 2026

   Ep 005 - Is Your Business Outgrowing You?

   What happens when your business starts to grow beyond what you can personally manage? In this solo episode of the Built To Scale Podcast, host Maggie Olson explores one of the hardest questions founders face: How do you know when your business has outgrown you? Maggie shares lessons from more than 20 years of entrepreneurship across photography, yoga, coaching, operations, and systems strategy. She reflects on the seasons where doing everything herself created unnecessary pressure, slowed growth, and turned a business into something that felt more like a job. This episode breaks down the signs that you may have become the bottleneck in your business, why documenting your processes matters, how standard operating procedures make delegation easier, and why building with an eventual exit in mind can create a stronger business today. If everything depends on you, growth will eventually hit a ceiling. The solution is not always more marketing, more leads, or more hours. Sometimes the next level comes from documenting, delegating, simplifying, and trusting other people to support the vision. In This Episode 00:00 | Why does business feel so hard? Maggie introduces the episode and explains why scaling is not about doing more. It is about building better. 00:57 | How do you know when your business has outgrown you? Why this question can feel uncomfortable and why founders often struggle to admit that something needs to change. 01:25 | The “no one can do it like me” trap How trying to personally handle every responsibility can lead to burnout and eventually limit business growth. 02:23 | The hidden work behind a photography business Maggie shares why photography involves much more than taking pictures, including scheduling, editing, communication, and delivery. 03:20 | Lessons from teaching and owning a yoga studio How managing a studio revealed the importance of lead generation, conversations, and teaching others how to bring people into the business. 04:42 | Why conversations matter in sales Maggie reflects on how yoga teacher training helped her recognize that many entrepreneurs have never learned how to guide a potential client through a meaningful sales conversation. 05:12 | Outgrowing a business How Maggie realized she had outgrown the yoga studio and why she ultimately chose to close it. 05:41 | Why founders need an exit plan A look at what can happen when you are ready to retire, pivot, sell, or move on from a business without a clear plan. 06:35 | Creating a business that requires less of you How Maggie refined her photography business so it could continue with minimal time and management. 07:31 | Learning to share the workload What owning a yoga studio taught Maggie about trusting other people and allowing team members to take responsibility. 08:29 | Are you building a business or a job? The realization that constantly creating work for yourself does not necessarily create a scalable company. 09:28 | Fun, creativity, and sustainable entrepreneurship Why losing the joy in your work can be a sign that you are doing too much or spending too much energy on the wrong tasks. 10:27 | You do not need complicated systems Why a streamlined business with fewer tools can often be easier to operate and easier to scale. 10:57 | Signs you are the bottleneck Maggie shares several questions that can reveal whether everything in the business depends on you. 11:54 | Start with what only you can do A simple exercise for identifying which responsibilities truly require your involvement. 12:21 | Why SOPs matter How documenting your processes creates the foundation for delegation and sustainable growth. 13:19 | Document the exact steps Examples of the processes you can capture, including publishing content, managing your CRM, creating posts, running a podcast, and closing sales. 13:49 | Document, delegate, delete Why documentation allows you to transfer responsibilities out of your head and into repeatable systems. 14:17 | Use your SOPs to hire better How clear processes can help you create a much more specific job description instead of asking broadly for “a VA.” 15:13 | Trusting the person you hired Why good delegation requires both clear expectations and a willingness to let someone else own the responsibility. 15:43 | Systems make your business more transferable How documentation becomes especially valuable if you eventually want to sell, retire, or step away. 16:12 | Preparing a business for an exit What to review when considering an eventual transition, including your website, CRM, processes, assets, and operations. 17:11 | What Maggie wishes she had before closing her studio How better documentation and planning could have made the yoga studio more valuable and easier to transfer. 18:06 | What does an exit actually look like? Questions to consider if you are thinking about selling, retiring, pivoting, or handing the business to someone else. 19:06 | Build with the future in mind Why founders deserve to make informed decisions about what happens to the businesses they have spent years creating. 20:06 | Creating systems behind your podcast Maggie introduces Podcast in a Box and shares why a podcast needs workflows and processes just like any other part of a business. Resources and Links Take the Satva Systems Tech Check Want to identify where your technology, systems, and processes may be creating unnecessary complexity? Take the Satva Systems Tech Check: https://satvasystems.com/tech-check (https://satvasystems.com/tech-check) Use it to get a clearer look at what is working, what is creating friction, and where your business may be ready for stronger systems. About the Built To Scale Podcast The Built To Scale Podcast explores the systems, leadership decisions, sales strategies, marketing foundations, and operational shifts that help entrepreneurs grow businesses without making everything depend on them. Hosted by entrepreneur, business mentor, and systems strategist Maggie Olson, each episode is designed to help you build a business that runs better, feels lighter, and is prepared for whatever comes next. Subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with another entrepreneur who is ready to build better.

9. 

   31 Jul 2026

   Ep 004 - Build a Business That Fits Your Real Life

   Should your business fit your life, or should your life fit your business? In this episode of the Built To Scale Podcast, host Maggie Olson sits down with Tiffany Gilleland, business coach, website strategist, and host of the Business Bravery Podcast. Tiffany helps multi-passionate entrepreneurs, coaches, and service providers build businesses that support their real lives, including family responsibilities, caregiving, chronic health challenges, and changing personal priorities. Together, Maggie and Tiffany explore what it means to create a sustainable business without sacrificing your health, identity, or joy. Tiffany shares how her definition of success has evolved over more than 14 years in business, moving away from the pressure to build a massive team and follow someone else’s model. They also discuss working with your energy, setting realistic boundaries, building systems before hiring, choosing clients who feel aligned, and creating enough flexibility for the unexpected parts of life. This conversation is a reminder that success does not have to look loud, fast, or exhausting. A scalable business can be calm, intentional, profitable, and designed around the person running it. In This Episode 00:01 | Should your business fit your life? Maggie opens the episode by challenging the belief that business success must require longer hours, constant hustle, and personal sacrifice. 01:21 | Meet Tiffany Gilleland Tiffany introduces herself and shares how she helps multi-passionate entrepreneurs build businesses that support their real lives. 02:29 | A quieter version of business bravery Tiffany explains how her work is evolving from bold, visible bravery toward the courage to be yourself and make aligned decisions. 03:33 | Filtering out outside advice Why the bravest decision may be stepping back from trends, challenges, and strategies that do not match your goals or capacity. 04:21 | Doing a challenge your own way Tiffany shares how she considered joining a daily content challenge but recognized that the required approach did not suit her energy or health. 06:23 | Working with your energy and cycle How excitement, energy, and physical capacity can shift throughout the month. 07:10 | How Tiffany defined success at the beginning Tiffany reflects on the fear she felt when first telling people she was building a business. 08:35 | Trying to build someone else’s business model Why Tiffany initially looked to prominent online entrepreneurs and tried to recreate large-scale business models on her own. 09:39 | Redefining success after burnout How success has shifted toward balance, sustainable income, health, and working fewer hours. 11:29 | Choosing work that does not drain you Tiffany shares why she stopped gravitating toward difficult, underpaid projects and began choosing clients and services that feel more energizing. 12:17 | Building around real-life responsibilities Maggie and Tiffany discuss aging parents, caregiving, children, health changes, and the responsibilities many women carry while running businesses. 14:13 | Building for who you are today Why Tiffany makes decisions based on her current income and capacity instead of overextending herself for a future version of the business. 15:24 | Balancing future goals with present reality How too much focus on future success can prevent entrepreneurs from taking useful action today. 17:17 | Avoiding the founder bottleneck Tiffany shares how her background in project management shaped her desire to build a business that can operate with support. 17:59 | Lessons from The 4-Hour Workweek How the idea of removing the founder as the bottleneck influenced Tiffany’s approach to delegation. 18:28 | Tiffany’s first hire Why she hired a virtual assistant to design and schedule content, even though she was capable of doing the work herself. 19:27 | Delegating the final step How having someone else schedule and publish content helped Tiffany overcome perfectionism and hesitation. 20:08 | Maggie’s experience with doing everything herself Maggie reflects on running photography and other businesses without support and why hiring now feels unfamiliar. 22:47 | How to hire the right person Tiffany explains why a clear role description, success criteria, and communication expectations can help attract the right candidates. 24:09 | Do not hire someone exactly like you Why highly visionary founders often need detail-oriented support instead of another big-picture thinker. 25:02 | Tiffany’s current business bottleneck Tiffany candidly admits that she is still the primary bottleneck in her business. 25:18 | Planning around unpredictable health changes How Tiffany batches her work and creates flexible systems while managing chronic health issues. 27:26 | Systems that create breathing room Why supportive systems still matter even when the founder remains essential to the business. 28:42 | Batching, planning, and reducing reactivity Tiffany shares how planning further ahead helps her make better decisions and feel more grounded. 30:50 | Creating space away from work Maggie discusses intentionally stepping away from the computer, reading for fun, and releasing the pressure to constantly improve. 32:45 | Consuming less business content Tiffany shares why she stopped filling every spare moment with business podcasts and self-development content. 34:23 | Remembering how to play Why hobbies, creativity, and fun are important for entrepreneurs who have spent years focused almost entirely on business. 37:44 | Two ways to make business feel lighter Tiffany recommends adding more fun and conducting an energy audit of your regular tasks. 39:29 | Starting difficult tasks with two minutes How a short timer can help reduce resistance and make an intimidating project feel more manageable. 40:02 | What “built to scale” means to Tiffany Why scalability begins with foundations, documented systems, a sustainable business model, and a realistic understanding of capacity. Resources and Links Connect With Tiffany Gilleland Website: (https://www.tiffanygstudios.com/)https://www.tiffanygstudios.com/ (https://www.tiffanygstudios.com/) Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/TiffanyGStudios)https://www.facebook.com/TiffanyGStudios (https://www.facebook.com/TiffanyGStudios) Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/tiffanygstudios/)https://www.instagram.com/tiffanygstudios/ (https://www.instagram.com/tiffanygstudios/) YouTube: (https://www.youtube.com/@businessbraverypodcast-km5hp)https://www.youtube.com/@businessbraverypodcast-km5hp (https://www.youtube.com/@businessbraverypodcast-km5hp) LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanygilleland/)https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanygilleland/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanygilleland/) About Tiffany Gilleland Tiffany Gilleland is a business coach, website strategist, and host of the Business Bravery Podcast. She helps multi-passionate entrepreneurs, coaches, and service providers create businesses that fit their real lives. Her work focuses on sustainable growth, intentional systems, website strategy, thoughtful delegation, and taking one brave step at a time. About the Built To Scale Podcast The Built To Scale Podcast explores the turning points, mindsets, systems, and decisions that help entrepreneurs grow without losing what made their businesses special. Hosted by entrepreneur and systems strategist Maggie Olson, each episode shares practical insights for building stronger foundations, making more intentional decisions, and creating sustainable businesses that support real life. Subscribe to the podcast, share this episode with another entrepreneur, and leave a review to help more business owners discover the show.

10. 

    31 Jul 2026

    Ep 003 - How to Scale a Community Without Losing Connection

    How do you grow a community without making people feel like just another number? In this episode of the Built To Scale Podcast, host Maggie Olson sits down with Robin Sims-Allen, founder of TotalHER, a leadership platform designed to help women advance their careers, businesses, confidence, and financial independence. Robin shares what it really looks like to build a mission-driven platform while navigating pivots, burnout, team growth, and the challenge of trusting other people with your vision. She explains why pivoting is not a sign of failure, but a natural part of building something meaningful. Maggie and Robin also discuss the evolution of TotalHER from a women-centered social and networking platform into a broader future-of-work platform. Robin’s goal is to give women the tools, strategy, community, and support they need to build their own opportunities without relying on multiple disconnected platforms or complicated systems. This conversation is a powerful reminder that scaling does not always mean moving in a straight line. Sometimes it means changing direction, letting go of perfection, building the right team, and continuing to move forward even when the original plan no longer fits. In This Episode 00:01 | How do you grow without losing connection? Maggie opens the episode with a question every founder eventually faces: How can a business scale while keeping its community experience personal? 01:03 | Meet Robin Sims-Allen Robin introduces herself as a problem solver who is drawn to solving large, meaningful challenges. 01:27 | The beginning of TotalHER Robin shares when she officially launched TotalHER and why pivoting has been part of the platform’s journey from the beginning. 02:16 | Why pivoting is a natural part of business Robin explains that changes in the market, customer needs, personal interests, or the larger environment can all signal a need to shift direction. 03:41 | Giving yourself permission to change Why women can feel pressured to stay in one lane and why experimentation can reveal the strongest path forward. 04:43 | The burnout that changed everything Robin recalls the moment she realized she could no longer carry every responsibility alone. 05:37 | Learning to pay for support A candid conversation about the financial and emotional challenges of hiring help. 06:06 | Becoming a CEO in practice Robin shares the difference between having the CEO title and actually learning how to lead a team. 07:04 | Releasing the need to do everything yourself Why Robin has often pursued new certifications and skills as a way to avoid fully depending on others. 08:04 | Trusting yourself and your team Maggie and Robin discuss how self-trust creates the foundation for trusting experts, collaborators, and future decisions. 09:27 | Choosing a word for the year Robin explains why “trust” became her guiding theme and how she uses it to shape her decisions. 10:53 | Building the platform Robin wished she had How TotalHer was inspired by the confusion, expense, and complexity Robin experienced while building her first business. 11:22 | The problem with disconnected business tools Why women should not need multiple subscriptions, platforms, and complicated systems just to grow a business. 13:14 | Using AI to create personalized strategy Robin shares her vision for an AI experience that helps women understand their content, opportunities, strategy, and path toward their income goals. 13:44 | Freedom as the mission Why TotalHER is ultimately about creating freedom of time, effort, and mental space. 15:25 | The next pivot for TotalHER Robin explains the shift from a women-centered social platform to a future-of-work platform. 15:53 | Creating a parachute for women Why Robin believes women should be able to build financial security and long-term opportunity through businesses of their own. 17:59 | Listening as a business system Robin shares how conversations, surveys, comments, and feedback from women directly shape the platform. 19:34 | Letting go of perfection and completion Why a business is never truly finished and why continued growth requires continued rebuilding. 21:16 | Accepting that the work will keep evolving Robin reflects on the responsibility of building something that may support another woman’s income, health, or family. 22:09 | Write a press release from the future A powerful exercise Robin received from an investor that helped her define the long-term vision for TotalHER. 22:37 | Start with the end goal Why entrepreneurs should work backward from the future they want instead of moving forward without a clear destination. 23:32 | Make change a daily habit Robin shares a simple practice for building flexibility and making intentional change part of everyday life. 24:34 | Why an exit plan matters Maggie reflects on closing her yoga studio and how knowing the end goal could have made that transition feel lighter. 27:35 | What scaling means to Robin Why scaling means refusing to remain stagnant, even when growth includes setbacks, pivots, and risks. 29:08 | Where to connect with Robin and TotalHER Robin shares how listeners can follow her work and learn more about the platform. Resources and Links Learn More About TotalHER Website: (https://www.totalher.co/)https://www.totalher.co/ (https://www.totalher.co/) Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/totalherapp)https://www.facebook.com/totalherapp (https://www.facebook.com/totalherapp) Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/totalherapp/)https://www.instagram.com/totalherapp/ (https://www.instagram.com/totalherapp/) LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/company/totalher/)https://www.linkedin.com/company/totalher/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/totalher/) About TotalHER TotalHER is a leadership and future-of-work platform designed to help women advance their careers, grow their businesses, strengthen their confidence, and create greater independence. The platform is being built to reduce the complexity women often face when navigating business tools, professional development, networking, content, strategy, and opportunity. About the Built To Scale Podcast The Built To Scale Podcast explores the turning points, mindsets, systems, and decisions that help entrepreneurs grow without losing what made their businesses special. Hosted by entrepreneur and systems strategist Maggie Olson, each episode offers honest conversations and practical insights for founders who want to build stronger foundations, lead with greater confidence, and create sustainable growth. Subscribe to the podcast, share this episode with another entrepreneur, and leave a review to help more business owners discover the show.

11. 

    31 Jul 2026

    Ep 002 - Build a Business That Grows Without Sacrificing Yourself

    What if the key to scaling your business is not doing more, but learning how to trust yourself, regulate your nervous system, and build systems that support the way you naturally work? In this episode of the Built To Scale Podcast, host Maggie Olson sits down with Lauren Pearlingi, psychic medium, intuitive Human Design business guide, trauma-informed healer, creator of the 90 Second Method, founder of The Mermaid Light, and host of the Enlightened Misfits Podcast and TV Show. Lauren shares how burnout, near-death experiences, and years of following strategies that were not aligned with her energy changed the way she approaches business. Together, Maggie and Lauren explore self-trust, Human Design, nervous system regulation, client journeys, automation, and the importance of building a business that does not rely entirely on the founder. They also discuss why entrepreneurs must understand what happens after someone discovers their work. Creating more offers, posting more content, or launching another platform will not solve the problem if there is no clear path for someone to become a client. This conversation is a reminder that sustainable growth begins with a strong personal and operational foundation. In This Episode 00:01 | Meet Lauren Pearlingi Maggie introduces Lauren and opens the conversation about growing a business without sacrificing yourself in the process. 01:33 | The voice behind self-sabotage Lauren explains how old conditioning, past authority figures, and previous versions of ourselves can create doubt that keeps entrepreneurs stuck. 03:02 | The 90 Second Method How Lauren helps people respond to self-doubt before it grows into a pattern of self-sabotage. 04:42 | Stop giving negative thoughts a seat at the table Why telling your inner critic to be quiet may still allow that energy to remain present. 06:17 | Letting other people have an opinion How separating your identity from someone else’s opinion can help you grow with greater confidence. 08:33 | Why not everyone will connect with you The importance of accepting that your work will not resonate with everyone, especially as your visibility increases. 09:13 | Choosing alignment instead of hustle Lauren shares how burnout and near-death experiences changed her approach to business, energy, and personal choice. 10:46 | Taking your power back Why mentors and healers can offer guidance, but lasting confidence must come from within. 12:00 | Human Design and individual alignment How different Human Design types and authorities may need to make decisions and structure their businesses differently. 13:59 | You cannot build from burnout Why sustainable growth requires awareness of your energy, emotions, and capacity. 14:19 | What yoga teaches us about alignment Maggie and Lauren discuss moving away from rigid definitions of alignment and learning to notice what feels right in your own body. 17:39 | Leadership, limits, and energy management Lauren reflects on what teaching yoga taught her about leadership and how she has learned to work with her energy as a Projector. 20:29 | Your thoughts shape your reality A conversation about the language entrepreneurs use with themselves and how repeated thoughts can influence their decisions and outcomes. 21:43 | Maggie’s turning point after leaving corporate Maggie shares how leaving an unhealthy work environment allowed her to reconnect with excitement, possibility, and self-trust. 23:53 | Building systems without losing the personal touch Lauren explains how she began creating systems that allow people to engage with her work even when she is not personally available. 25:57 | Moving beyond a founder-dependent business Why a business needs resources, offers, and pathways that continue working when the founder takes time away. 28:43 | Pick one thing and create a clear path Lauren shares why entrepreneurs do not always need another offer, platform, or content channel. 30:08 | Understanding the client journey Maggie explains how someone moves from discovering your content to becoming a paying client and loyal advocate. 32:40 | Mapping the journey from free to paid Lauren shares how she documented the steps a person can take after downloading a free resource. 34:29 | Why every lead matters A smaller list of warm prospects can be more valuable than a large audience of people who barely know your business. 35:52 | Getting information out of your head Maggie discusses decision fatigue and why tracking clients, leads, and processes is essential for sustainable growth. 38:37 | Prepare before hiring support Why hiring a virtual assistant will not fix a business that has no documented systems or clear processes. 40:19 | One way to make business feel lighter Lauren explains why your nervous system is part of your business strategy. 42:23 | What “built to scale” means to Lauren Why growth starts with repairing cracks in the foundation before trying to expand. Resources and Links Connect With Lauren Pearlingi and The Mermaid Light All Links: (https://linktr.ee/themermaidlight)https://linktr.ee/themermaidlight (https://linktr.ee/themermaidlight) Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/share/1BV5CojrVo/?mibextid=wwXIfr)https://www.facebook.com/share/1BV5CojrVo/?mibextid=wwXIfr (https://www.facebook.com/share/1BV5CojrVo/?mibextid=wwXIfr) Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/themermaidlight)https://www.instagram.com/themermaidlight (https://www.instagram.com/themermaidlight) YouTube: (https://youtube.com/@themermaidlight)https://youtube.com/@themermaidlight (https://youtube.com/@themermaidlight) LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-pearlingi)https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-pearlingi (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-pearlingi) About The Built To Scale Podcast The Built To Scale Podcast explores the turning points, mindsets, systems, and decisions that help entrepreneurs grow without losing what made their businesses special. Hosted by entrepreneur, systems strategist, and Director of Operations Maggie Olson, each episode offers practical insights for building a business with stronger foundations, clearer systems, and more sustainable growth. Subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review to help more entrepreneurs discover the show.

12. 

    29 Jul 2026

    Ep 001 - Your Business Doesn’t Need More Leads. It Needs Better Systems.

    Welcome to the very first episode of the Built to Scale Podcast, the show for entrepreneurs who want to grow sustainably without creating a business that depends on them 24/7. In this introductory episode, host Maggie Olson, entrepreneur, systems strategist, and Director of Operations at Satva Systems, shares why the businesses that scale successfully are not always the ones with the largest audiences or flashiest marketing. They are the businesses built on strong foundations, intentional client journeys, and systems that support growth. Maggie also challenges one of the most common assumptions in business: that more leads will solve everything. More leads cannot fix missed calls, unanswered messages, confusing offers, inconsistent follow-up, or a chaotic onboarding process. In fact, increasing your marketing before fixing those gaps may expose the problems even faster. Through stories from nearly two decades of entrepreneurship, including photography, yoga studio ownership, coaching, consulting, and operations, Maggie explains how overlooked conversations and broken processes quietly create revenue leaks. You’ll leave this episode with a simple challenge that can help you reconnect with warm prospects, recover missed opportunities, and better understand what happens after someone expresses interest in your business. In This Episode 00:01 | Welcome to the Built to Scale Podcast Meet Maggie and hear why she created a dedicated space for conversations about sustainable business growth. 02:19 | What truly scalable businesses have in common Why strong foundations matter more than flashy marketing or a massive audience. 03:20 | What you can expect from the podcast Upcoming conversations about systems, automation, leadership, sales, operations, AI, and the client experience. 04:39 | When your business starts to feel heavy Maggie shares how resentment and exhaustion can signal that it is time to change an offer, restructure, or pivot. 06:59 | Do you really need more leads? A powerful question: What happens after a new lead finds your business? 09:26 | Mapping the client journey Why every business owner should understand the steps that move someone from a new connection to a paying client. 10:15 | Lessons from Maggie’s photography business How chasing more sessions initially shaped her understanding of sales and business growth. 11:45 | Buying and operating a yoga studio Maggie explains how teaching yoga instructors to generate leads became part of her evolution into business coaching. 14:12 | Energy, delegation, and Human Design How understanding your working style can help you make better decisions about what and when to delegate. 16:39 | The hidden cost of poor follow-up Examples of businesses spending heavily on advertising and SEO while leaving interested prospects waiting. 19:04 | Where to look for warm leads right now Why unanswered comments, direct messages, and past conversations may hold your most immediate sales opportunities. 21:27 | Marketing amplifies what already exists Why marketing cannot compensate for broken processes and how simple systems can prevent growth from creating more chaos. 23:50 | Your 90-day lead audit challenge Review every lead, message, and unanswered comment from the past three months and organize those opportunities in one simple place. Ready to Find the Gaps in Your Business? Take the Satva Systems Tech Check to identify opportunities to simplify your technology, strengthen your systems, and create a business that is easier to operate and scale: https://satvasystems.com/tech-check (https://satvasystems.com/tech-check) About the Built to Scale Podcast The Built to Scale Podcast explores what it really takes to create a business that can grow without relying on constant hustle or the founder being available around the clock. Through solo episodes and candid conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders, Maggie Olson examines the systems, decisions, client experiences, leadership practices, and operational foundations behind sustainable growth. Subscribe to the podcast and join us as we build businesses that are designed not only to grow, but to work.

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