"The SECRET To Scaling Any Successful Business STARTS HERE!..." | Allison Maslan

So I think the biggest thing that I've learned is that when you know the vision of where you want the company to go, this heartfelt, mission driven vision, and you hire people based on that vision, then it changes everything. I think a lot of people feel like I can't hire until I have a lot more money in the bank account before I start building the team. But if you are building a, if you are hiring people for growth, like you're hiring people that are going to help you take your business to the next level, then they pay for themselves. Are you exhausted and burned out and you feel like you can't add one more thing to your plate, then don't add more to your plate. It's all about building the alliance of your team right here, right now on the Scale or fail show.

Welcome to the scale or fail show. I am your host, Alison Maslin and I am a business growth mentor. I am the CEO and founder of Clinical Global Network where we mentor business owners around the world who grow and scale their business. Business is my thing. I've been running companies for the last almost 40 years and what we're here to do on the show is to make the road easier for you. And today I am super excited because I have one of my amazing, successful business mentors from Pinnacle Global Network and I can't wait to introduce you to her. And we are going to actually flip the tables and she is going to introduce me so I can share some amazing scale strategies with you today. So let me introduce, introduce my partner in crime today, my cohort, Vicki Brown. And Vicki, I'm so excited that you're here. Vicki is a serial entrepreneur herself and she runs a very successful company called Idomeneo Enterprises and it is an HR consultancy. She does strategy, anything to do with team, human resources management and transformation within a company around team. And so we are so honored to have her on our team on Pinnacle Global network. And she's also a number one best selling author.

Vicki, so happy that you're here on.

The Scale or fail show.

Oh, thank you so much. I am thrilled to be here. I remember like watching, you know, the Scale or fail show and going, oh, one day, one day, maybe one day. So it's really, it tickles me to be here and think, thank you for giving me the opportunity to kind of turn the tables on you a little bit and ask you a couple of questions.

Yeah, I really appreciate it because, you know, I've been doing this show or a version of this show for 11 years now and I love Being the host, I love asking. I've been able to meet some incredible people and learn about them, but sometimes I just want to share some things that, you know, we work with our clients on some things that help them faster their success. So I really appreciate you coming on here and who better to talk about team than you because that's really what you help companies with, to get the right team and making sure that things are working smoothly. So today we're going to talk about the scale it method really is our proprietary method and what we help our clients do. And it's comprised of five pillars. It's the strategic vision, cash flow, alliance of the team, leadership and execution. Those five pillars are critical for your company to scale. And one of the most important pillars is alliance of the team because we can't all do it ourselves, even though we'd like to think that it all rests on our shoulders, but that's. That can get the best of us. Today I'm going to share with you some really, you know, some things that have been challenging for me over the years, things where I've hit a wall and have been big lessons, things that we've learned to do better and are always continuing to work on to improve. So I'm going to share those insights with you to hopefully make the road easier. So let's get started. Vicki?

Excellent. Excellent. Well, you know, you mentioned earlier that one of the primary pillars of the scale it method is alliance of the team. Can you tell us a little bit more? What does alliance of the team mean to you?

Yeah, I think, you know, the alliance is a key word here because it's having everybody aligned, really. Because I think a lot of times, especially in the early days, is that you are hiring people to fill a position and they, what you hope are skilled within that position, that skill, that task, whatever it is. But if you have a bunch of people on your team and they're all just focused on taking care of their skill, but they're not really aligned with the vision of the company, the goals of the company. Then you have a bunch of people that are maybe doing a good job, but they're very disconnected. And at the end of the day, the customer is going to feel that it's going to impact your bottom line. And I don't really think that you have a team that, you know, they're not really feeling super connected, which I think ultimately people want. So it's having a great team, but it's also having a great aligned team. So we're all moving together and there's this congruency with head and heart and the vision of the company and the mission of the company.

That's really wonderful. So what is the number one roadblock that you really see for business owners to have a team led business?

Yeah, I think. And I've really learned this the hard way because definitely over the years, Vicki, there were moments where I was super frustrated with the team, feeling like, why don't they know this and why aren't things getting done and why are we not hitting our goals or just people not staying on? And I think it's got to get painful enough for you to go, you know what? Maybe I. Maybe it's me. Maybe the common denominator is me. And I think that the number one thing is what I've learned. And you hear me talk about this so much in Pinnacle is vision. I think that we expect our team to be a mind reader. And, you know, this just. That's like saying, why doesn't my spouse know that I want this? Right. And we know how that that doesn't work. So I think the biggest thing that I've learned is that when you know the vision of where you want the company to go, this heartfelt, mission driven vision, and you hire people based on that vision, then it changes everything. But I think the biggest mistake is that business owners get desperate. They're out of bandwidth and they're like, I just need this position that I need to hire for. And they're hiring more for skill than they are for culture fit and vision fit. And you probably see this.

Absolutely, absolutely. And you know, you talk about vision really as being kind of the North Star. If we can hang on to the vision, we can pretty much get the other pieces aligned the way we need them to be aligned. So that's such a powerful thing to hang on to. Vision. Tell me, when you first started and you were building your first team, what were some of the things that you wish you knew?

Oh, my gosh. Yes. Well, I think that I didn't really know how to delegate, you know, and I think it kind of goes back to you sort of think, well, they should know this kind of thing. And I wasn't super clear on communicating my expectations and really just taking the stuff that was in my head. And I think this. So many business owners do this. We just often, even if you have employees, how many times do you go, you know what, it'll just take me a minute, I'll just do it, you know, and then you're frustrated that they're not Doing it and then you do it again, and you do it again, you know. And so I think that that is really critical is to be willing to let go. I think that's probably some of the biggest mistakes that I made. I remember having an aha moment when I was in my office some years ago and I had a window in my office and I could see what was going on out there and they could see me as well. And I remember having this moment. I looked out and I went, you. I have no idea what they're working on and they have no idea what I'm working on. So, like something, there's a real communication breakdown. And the frustration really was again my issue because I needed to really stop feeling like I had to be the end all. I think there is a bit of an ego thing. Not because we want it to be that way, but we often feel like if it's not for us, if it's not on our shoulders as the business owner, then it's not going to get done. And we create this very debilitating habit that goes within the company. And as we're talking about scaling, as you're scaling your business, you have to constantly be thinking of, how do I replace myself as the business owner. You did everything in the beginning, but as you grow, if you are still the bottleneck, you absolutely can't scale and the business needs to be able to run without you. I was just on vacation for a week and, you know, my team was amazing and they were able to handle it without me. Now there were a few things when I came back that I realized were not handled. And I think in the past I would have thought, oh man, you know, why didn't they get this done kind of thing. But the way I think now is, oh, this is a new system of communication we need on this piece. So rather than jumping back in, which is what I used to do to try to fix things, now I look at, you know, what piece in the system needs to be added or is there a new position that needs to be added? Because if. The sooner you can get out of your business and replace the everyday tasks in the weeds that you're doing, being the worker, being your business, and position yourself to work on the business, on overall strategy, or being the spokesperson of your business, you know, like I, like I am today, the faster your business is going to grow.

You know, you just touched on something really important. I think just like, you know, I'm just like every other business owner. We freak out because we're like, oh, My goodness, if I start delegating, if I let go, if I start having other people do things, how can I possibly know that it's going to get done the way I want to want it to get done in the timeframe I want it to get done? And that's not always going to happen. So when things don't quite align with what your overall ideal of what things are going to happen, how do you ensure that accountability is happening with the employees? How do you fix those little issues that come out, come up if things aren't happening the way you feel like they should?

Yeah. And I think there's a level of maturity in the leadership that happens. Because in the past, what I would do, Vicki, is I would say, okay, we need to fix this thing, and I would jump in and, you know, whatever, and we would take care of it. But that only takes care of it that one time.

Right.

Do you know what I mean? So to me, it's like, okay, well, there's obviously a hole. We need to fix this for the big picture. And look, it's our baby, and you know it's right. You've worked so hard and you don't want things to fall through the cracks. So it's hard to let go because you want to make sure, you know, if you, let's say if you were doing it, then it wouldn't happen necessarily, but then you wouldn't really grow either. So I think part of it is for us to be okay. When some things fall through the cracks, we don't want them to happen. And ultimately that's the biggest goal, that it doesn't. But I think that sometimes they do need to fall through the cracks for us to realize that, oh, we either need to train someone better or we need to put a system here and so forth. If we're constantly jumping in, like rescuing our children when they make a mistake, then they never grow. Like my daughter right now, she moved to Israel and she's been there since September, and she, she would not like me sharing this. But anyway, is having an issue with her landlord and her apartment, and she's, you know, she's in another country now. She has some relatives there and so forth. But, you know, I mean, look, I'm a mom. You want to jump in there and go, okay, you know, I'm gonna send you some money or, you know, let me call them for you. And I said, well, I'm not going to do this, because she wanted to move there and she's making a life for herself and she Loves it there, but she's got to learn how to do these things. And I think it's the same way in our business is that the tendency is to want to jump in there and fix it, but you're actually creating a bigger problem for the whole future of your company. So start thinking in your business, not just immediately putting out fires, but how, by me doing this right now or the decision that I make right now, how's that going to impact the future of your company?

That is really, really a powerful statement because we want to control everything. I know I want to control everything. So if something goes wrong, the fastest way for me to fix it is just to do it. Doesn't help my team, doesn't help their growth trajectory, doesn't really help the company in the long run. Because I'm doing something I shouldn't be doing. I'm wasting the company's money, basically, you know, as you've said before. So. But that is always my first inclination to just jump right in there.

And you know what, Vicki? I think that it's important to kind of really communicate this in a big way because I really feel like this is the hardest thing for business owners. You know, we talk about the five phases of scaling a business and I would say in the early, you know, in phase two and phase three, business owners never really evolve to scale because of this one thing. Because we're so afraid to let go. And we think that we have to be that rainmaker and the decision maker and the everything maker. And I mean, it's probably the biggest thing that I hear from business owners. It's so hard to let go. But I'll tell you what, we are the ones that make it so hard. Because ultimately once you do, you'll see that your team does step up, you know, by not letting go. Basically what you're saying is, I don't trust you.

Right.

You know, and if, you know, when someone kind of screws up, there's a wake up call to go, oh my God, I better do something about this. Or, you know, obviously they're, you know, if they don't, and they don't take it seriously, obviously they're not going to continue on with the company. But it is, you can't just keep doing, you can't just keep jumping in and saving the day. The business will not grow. And you're just going to be just stressed. And you know, this is the thing that keeps people, gets people burned out. That affects their health, that affects their marriage. You're waking up at Three in the morning, going, oh, my God, I've got to do that thing. You know, there's no way, as your business grows, that you can get your arms around everything. And so that's why this, right now, the conversation we're having, the alliance of the students is so critical.

And you know, what I'm hearing from you is that one of the first things you take a look at, if something does fall through the cracks or something doesn't quite align the way you need it, the way you think it should, is you actually start looking at it from a systems perspective. Is there some break in our system or do we need to systematize what we're doing? How does that really play in bringing on new people, training them, et cetera, Company systems?

Yeah, I think it's huge. And the other thing is that your systems are going to have to grow and change with you. And we've had a lot of growth in our company in the last couple of years, almost doubling our size. And so the systems have had to be completely revamped. Our communication systems with our customers, our communication systems within our team, our, you know, emails. We had some challenges with emails getting through. And I, I think what happens is that when you're smaller, like, those things aren't as loud, but when you grow, then it's like, whoa, you know, Houston, we have a problem here. And so I think, you know, obviously the other, the other thing too is having that regular communication with the team. Like, we have our marketing meeting on Mondays and we were just having a conversation on our last meeting of, okay, I really feel like we can have better communication amongst the marketing team. Even though we only meet once a week, sometimes throughout the week, things are changing really quickly. And if we're leading events and things like that, that we can't really afford to wait an entire week. So being able to have that open communication and for me to not be.

The boss and go, this is what.

You have to do. But to say, okay, this is a challenge we're having. What do you all feel like we should do? Like, how can we improve on this together? And I think by doing that, by repositioning it and approaching it as a leader instead of a boss, then you really get to benefit from the amazing gifts that your team has. And they're going to feel more passionate.

About it because they're invested in it.

It's their ideas. Right. And so I think, you know, continually having to improve technology is always changing as well. I mean, I'm so grateful because before COVID we had already been on Zoom for well over a year with our clients, maybe even a year and a half. So I think that willingness to constantly improve your technology, even though it's a pain in the butt sometimes to make those shifts, you know, and know that there's always going to be some, you know, bit of tech challenges and so forth. But, yeah, I'd say regular meetings, constant communication, leadership training. It's one of the things we work on in Pinnacle as, you know, with our clients, our CEO clients. Because, you know, if. If I'm frustrated with the team, I have to look at myself. You know, am I showing appreciation enough to the team? You know, if there are consistent things that are breaking down, you know, how am I contributing to the problem? Do I not have the right support in there? So, you know, I mean, we all do work together, but, you know, ultimately, you have to look at how are you showing up? I mean, I think that's a big part of this. Are you showing up like a boss? Are you showing up like a leader? That's inspiring people into action.

And so when you're looking at a team and the team being aligned and kind of all rowing in the same direction and you being a leader and letting them really step out and kind of be in their zones of genius, how do you. In the. You know, with Pinnacle, how do you actually. What have you done with your team over the years to make sure that they work together better, that they're more aligned? Because I know the team has been, you know, you guys don't all sit in one room. So how have you. How have you been able to tackle that over the years?

Yeah, man. You know, our team has grown so much over the years, and just the mentoring team alone, we have 14 incredible mentors, and you being one of them, and you all also run your own companies. And that's what is unique about Pinnacle, is that our mentors all have built their own businesses. They're not someone that has just got a certificate. You've been in the trenches. I'd say that I made a decision early on, and I am so happy, I don't even think I really knew the impact of it. But we have had this Wednesday meeting for nine years now.

Oh, my goodness.

And every Wednesday morning from 8 to 10, we are on this team meeting and whether we're talking about the vision of the community company, things that are going on, challenges with clients, new systems that are happening, getting a pulse from the mentoring team on how they feel about certain things. It really is about creating a Culture of collaboration. I am not here to say that I have all of the answers or that I've done it right in the past. So I think it's the way that I approach it. And I don't feel like we have any egos on the team either because of this. We all work together. And I think having that just that core Wednesday meeting and Everybody shows up 99% of the time. There might be a couple here and there, things come up, but generally we're talking. The team is on there. And that over the years, has just been our. We have a busy week and we come together. We have a busy week and we come together. The other thing is that it all comes down to values, Vicki. I mean, when we're looking to add somebody, for instance, on the mentoring team, really anyone on the team, a big part of the interviewing process is talking about what our core values are, our vision of the company. You knew a lot about it because you were a member in Pinnacle already. But I think it starts from the very beginning. You're not just filling a position. You're finding somebody that has a passion, you know, a similar passion, and that. That they bring to the table. And I think that when, like I said earlier, when you're constantly talking about that vision, you just start attracting the people to you, that. That lights them up too. And I think that is really key. I think showing your team appreciation is really important. And, you know, I've been guilty of it, been so busy sometimes that I think it, but don't say it, you know, And I think, you know, people want that more than ever, more than anything else, I think. Who doesn't want to feel appreciated for.

All of the hard work that they're.

Doing and being recognized? Yeah. And when you hit challenges, which we've had over the years, you know, for sure, I'm pretty proud because I would say, you know, 95% of our mentors have been with us and, you know, continue with us years, year after year after year. I think we've only lost two over the years.

My goodness.

So. Which is quite, quite incredible. And I just think it's because we've created. Created this culture of collaboration. I really feel like it's it. And they collaborate with one another and respect, you know, so, yeah, and that started with that Wednesday meeting, you know, just bonding. So it comes back to communication, consistency, respect, vision and collaboration.

So for the, you know, business owner who's just beginning to put together their team or beginning to maybe up level their team, what do you have any Hiring, I don't know, tips or tricks as they're going out looking for people. Of course you want people that are aligned with the vision of the organization, but do you have any specific tips or tricks to help them with that?

Yeah, I think first off is, you know, what I have found over the years. The first thing is to figure out what's the role. So before you place the ad, and believe me, I've done this before, you get desperate, you're like, oh, my gosh, I need this position filled and I'm just going to place this ad today and get it up there on LinkedIn or whatever, and you just start getting frustrated. Maybe you do hire somebody and. And then you're frustrated because you feel like that they're not really fitting the bill, they're not getting things done the way you want or, you know, whatever is not going right. And I find it's because you're not super clear on the role before you place the ad to think about what are the. What, like, who is this person that you want? It's kind of like when I wanted was ready to meet my husband and I put the profile on match.com I had to get clear first because I had spent years picking the wrong person.

I've never done that.

Just the wrong, you know, finally was like, oh, it's the common denominator. It's me. And so I think that's first is get clear. What I used to do, Vicki, was I would try to save money and I would say, you know what? I could have one person be my marketing person and my receptionist and my errand runner and my. Right. Like, is that wrong? We've all done it. And setting people up to fail, because who can do all those things and be successful at it, I mean, and maintain it before they burn out? Right. And so I think it's just getting clear. The other thing is that now that, you know, the team is growing, but even early on with the mentoring team, first I would go to them and say, who do you know? I mean, you know our culture. Who are people that you feel might be a good fit? And what I've even done, even recently, is to reach out to some people in my industry that I totally respect and to say, you know, these are the positions that I'm looking for. Because they know you, they know your values, and especially people that are on the team, you know, they. They know what the expectations are here and then, you know, within your community. And that's how. That's how we met. That's how we brought you on the team. So it's not always posting an ad, although we've found some great team members. But I think that's, you know, reaching out to people that know you. And again, coming back to the vision within that job posting or within the interview, make sure that you are communicating the vision of the company, that you're communicating the values, the type of culture that you have. I mean, we have a, you know, we have a pretty funny team. Like, they kind of can get a little wacky sometimes, you know, and so if you, if that's something that bothers you, that might be a problem. You know, I think especially with COVID they're all going a little nutty, but, you know, they keep the laughter going. So I think it's just really kind of getting a feel for who your people are, what the vibe is, and hire towards that. The other thing I would say, as far as hiring tips, I call it the rule of three, and that is interview at least three people for a position three times in three different places. A little more challenging during COVID on the three places, but the three people keeps you from just jumping after your first choice, you know, have a comparison. And we're. So we just want to take care of it, you know, we want to hurry it then remember, this person's going to be with you a good deal of time, or you hope so take the time. And I also think that when you. When they have to work for it, knowing that there's an interview process, and I'm sure this is. You're the expert at this, when there is an actual interview process, it's more professional. I think that it really helps you as an organization look more professional. But it also, it also challenges this person, this potential new employee, to say, you know, I got to work for this. I got to show up on time each time. Am I going to look professional during the interview? You know, just. Are they going to hang in there through the process? Because a lot of that behavior is what that you're going to see in them working with you. And some people just don't show up for the second or third interview. It's like, okay, they self select out. Yeah, exactly. So, I mean, there's more to it. And we obviously work with our business owner clients in Pinnacle. Really, we work with them a lot on this because it's such a big part of business growth, is getting that right team. You know, hire slowly, fire fast, hire slowly. It sounds brutal, but actually I think it's kinder.

Yeah, you know, I absolutely agree. Well, so that has been a world of valuable information. Thank you so much. What golden nuggets or special little tips do you want to leave with us today?

Yeah. So I would just say that I think the biggest thing, Vicki, and tell me what your thoughts are on this. I think a lot of people feel like I can't hire until I have a lot more money in the bank account before I start building the team. But if you are building a, if you are hiring people for growth, like you're hiring people that are going to help you take your business to the next level, then they pay for themselves. And so by, you know, I don't let's say you're paying somebody $60,000 a year. I'm just throwing out a number. Could be more or could be less. You aren't writing them a check for $60,000. You're writing, you're paying for them whatever their salary is for a few months. And if it doesn't work out, I mean, obviously you hope that it does and you want to train them well. But if you are waiting, waiting, waiting, you really are just, like I said, choking the growth of your business. And know that when you bring great team members on, they will take the pressure off of you. So whether they're adding money to the bottom line or they're taking things off your plate so that you can then work on building those powerful relationships that are going to help grow the business, it really is a win, win. So, you know, I say it's like a stair step. Take the first step, invest in getting that team or that next employee and that's going to move you two more steps up and then invest in that next team member and that will take you a few more steps up. Make sure you're sharing that vision and have some stellar communication and you will be on your way, of course, in Pinnacle Global Network and we're happy to help you on that and help you to get that team lined up so that you can strong scale strategy. What do you think, Vicki? I'm just turn this around for you. What do you think? Where do you think we excel as far as you've seen with our clients in Pinnacle and what they struggle with? How do you feel like Pinnacle is helping people with the support for their team?

I think it's, you know, so often it is. It may not even be something that you don't know. It's reminding you of things that you already know but you've forgotten because you're in the weeds whacking Away at the forest all day long. A simple thing. Like, I remember one thing early on in my relationship with Pinnacle that just blew my head off. And I'm a human resources specialist, so I remember this. But that whole concept that you just said, if you're hiring someone for $60,000 a year. So in my head I was like, I don't have $60,000. I can't hire anyone. It's like, duh, you don't need $60,000. Yeah, you know, that's. Take the first step. Eat the elephant one bite at a time. You're not, you know, you don't need to do the whole thing right now. So that was really. That has been. In my prior career, that has been a roadblock for me to success. And so I'm so glad that you kind of, you know, opened up my. My thought process around that. I was like, oh, yeah, that's right. And it' true. If you really align what you truly need to grow the business with who you're trying to bring in, what kind of skill set you're trying to bring in, what the role is going to be of that person, then you're going to grow your business. The money's not. The money takes care of itself. And so it's. That kind of, you know, sounds like. It just sounds logical when you say it out loud. But it's those kinds of kind of aha moments that I think our clients really have an opportunity to think, oh, wow, that's right. Oh, that's right. And the biggest piece, and I said it earlier on, is hanging onto the vision. If you really hang on to the vision, you know, you are such. I mean, I think one year you even gave us little stars. I think about, you know, the star, our guiding stars. And if you really hang on to the vision and you filter everything you're doing through your ultimate vision, you're going to get where you're going, and it's going to be far greater than any small dream or small idea that you had. And that's the other thing that was kind of the first thing that washed over me. And I know it certainly does for the majority of the folks that we're working with. And that is right now, you're playing small ball. It's like the game that is available to you is enormously larger than the game that's in your head. So really allowing people to, you know, at the last event, it still stuck with me. I want a T shirt. There is no sky.

Oh, my gosh. I know. I think we should make T shirts for all of our clients. That was Naveen Jain, and he was absolutely remarkable. And he was. He spoke at our recent event, and he said, there is no sky. I mean, you don't. He said, I think it was. You're not up in a spaceship and. And past the clouds and call your mom and say, hey, mom, I just passed sky. You know, and it's true. So it is like, there's no limit to what we can do in our businesses. And that's, you know, we are the ones that create that ceiling. So I do think, you know, and we hold that back with the team by thinking that we have to have all the answers, that, you know, we have to have all the money there to be able to do it, to get started. And it's just not true. So hopefully this. This episode, for everybody listening today, has been super helpful. We want you to get out there, build an amazing team because, you know, you're helping people with your businesses, you're helping your team. You're helping your team and their family. And the ripple effect of what you're doing in the world is profound and, of course, creating a very profitable business. And that's what we want to see you do, and that's why we do what we do in Pinnacle Global Network. So if you are wanting to get support in your business or just learn more about pinnacle, go to pinnacleglobalnetwork.com and you will learn all about the team and what we do differently than everybody else in the business world. And, Vicki, this was so awesome.

Oh, thank you. This was great fun.

Yeah. Thanks for coming on and interviewing me.

Loved it.

Talking on the show.

Loved it.

So anyway, Vicki contributes greatly to our team and Clinical Global Network. So anyway, until next time, get out there and elevate yourself because you are worth it. Bye, everybody.

If you want more insight and inspiration on scaling your business, then check out the interview I did with Roland Frazier right over here, and I'll see you there.

Because a lot of people think, well, how do I scale up? But what they really mean is, how do I grow? Well, if you grow but you don't have scale built in, the wheels fall off and customer service falls and product falls. If you scale before you have growth, you run out of money, you get broke. So the balance of those two is so critical.