The Five Stages of Building a Business You Love | Buffini Podcast
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Leaders face all kinds of challenges as they try to build and scale a successful business. As the founder and CEO of Ramsey Solutions, Dave Ramsey has been a millionaire — and has filed for bankruptcy — before rebuilding his fortune. Now, as a bestselling personal finance author and as the host of the popular weekday syndicated radio show, “The Ramsey Show,” he shares the lessons he has learned along the way.
Ramsey recently spoke with Brian Buffini, the host of the “It’s a Good Life” podcast where he laid out the five distinct stages of growth that every business owner must conquer to reach their potential.
The Treadmill Operator
The start of a business venture is very exciting. You’re full of energy and working long hours to get your dream up and running. You’re also the only source of revenue and production — unless you do it, nothing gets done! It’s like you’re on a treadmill. This isn’t sustainable in the long-term, so you must make time to work on your business, not just in your business. You also need to hire your first people so that you can delegate, serve your clients at the highest levels, and ensure that not everything is dependent on you.
The Pathfinder
At the Pathfinder stage, you’ve hired some team members. Everyone is working hard, but they might be running in lots of different directions! This is a fun and exciting period, but it can also be chaotic, so you must focus on getting your ducks in a row and giving your team a shared direction. At this point, you need to improve the quality of your communications and be very clear about your mission statement and core values.
The Trailblazer
The Trailblazer stage is the messy middle. At this juncture, you’re most likely making more money than you ever have before, but things are still pretty chaotic as systems and processes are lacking. Many entrepreneurs almost instinctively resist the idea of policies and governance, but it’s vital to remember that they can really help you. After all, you have to have an accounting system that works! At this Trailblazer stage, you need to introduce another level of leadership — a trusted team who will lead with the same level of excellence, urgency and focus as you do.
The Peak Performer
The fourth stage is where you can live for a long time. This is when you feel like you have the Midas touch! Systems are working, everyone knows their role, communication is solid, and customers are well-served and happy. But reaching this stage doesn’t mean that you can rest on your laurels! You always need to keep moving and innovating to stay ahead of market disruptions and advances.
The Legacy Builder
The legacy stage is all about planning for succession. The more gradual this stage is the better, because that means you can iron out the kinks and help the next generation.
To learn more about Dave Ramsey’s EntreLeadership System, listen to the latest episode of “It’s a Good Life“.
