Bold Business Podcast

If your job as CEO hasn't changed in three years, your company might be outgrowing you. To elevate your business 10x, it's essential to reassess your role as CEO, make tough calls, and prioritize with unwavering focus. These are the key areas where you can unlock significant value for yourself, your team, and your customers.   Jess Dewell from Red Direction, Christy Maxfield of Purpose First Advisors, and Dean Barta from Barta Business Group have an open discussion about how you might be the bottleneck hindering your business growth.   Here are key notes you don't want to miss:    ** Assess and sharpen your focus - The greatest obstacle to growth often lies in avoiding tough decisions. Failing to make a choice is still a choice — and it can dilute your impact. Set aside dedicated time (like a focused retreat) to review your priorities, clarify the true value you provide, and eliminate the "busywork" that distracts from strategic advancement.   ** Differentiate your roles for clarity and growth - Many business owners find themselves unintentionally wearing the CEO hat, which can pose challenges. Ask yourself: would you hire yourself for this role? Establish clear job descriptions for both CEO and Owner to define your responsibilities, promote effective delegation, and identify where you can add the most value — then focus relentlessly on those areas.   ** Unleash your greatest asset: YOU - Sustainable and exponential growth begins when leaders evolve authentically, delegate tasks that no longer align with their strategic vision, and cultivate habits that keep them in their zone of genius. Keep in mind: the value you realize for yourself directly influences the value your company delivers to customers and prospective buyers.   After the discussion, your expert panel shared their biggest takeaway:   Dean Barta: Separating the roles of owner and CEO: Assess whether you would hire yourself to be the CEO of your company.   Christy Maxfield: This about making sure that you can unlock more value for your customer, about unlocking more value for you as an owner, about unlocking more value for a future buyer.   Jess Dewell: Your ability to make decisions will get easier, stronger, and clearer. That ensures that you are evolving and assessing as you go.   --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

A fuzzy strategy comes with real costs, and that lack of clarity can diminish true value. Think you're scaling well? Think again. It's crucial to support a bold vision with clear direction and regular reality checks.   Identifying your unique growth factor while staying focused on the core problem can be quite a challenge, particularly as your company faces new constraints and friction points.    You, your team, and your investor partners will achieve the most significant milestones by collaborating through difficulties.   In this program, you'll learn how to address the "stay in your lane" mindset that might be holding you back, why it's essential to disrupt your own company before the market does, and how to achieve strategic clarity.   Jess Dewell and Melanie Nabar, Vice President at Volition Capital, unpack how unclear objectives and scattered initiatives can waste resources and opportunities. They provide actionable steps to help maintain your momentum and emphasize how BOLD founders challenge themselves as leaders to embrace continuous learning and transformation.   --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you to keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

Endings often go unnoticed. It's easy to push back project deadlines and adjust our expectations for results, but calling for a definitive stop to review our progress can be much harder. We might feel the urge to dive right into tactics to achieve results, yet what we're truly after is a clear, overarching goal—whether that's increasing something or changing the status quo.   When launching a product, crafting your business's narrative, or entering a new market, a lack of clarity makes it challenging to recognize when we've hit our desired outcome. It's crucial to step back, evaluate our plans, the actions we've taken, and the results we've achieved to decide whether to move forward or make necessary tweaks. We need to acknowledge when we've arrived, even if the path we took wasn't what we originally envisioned.   In this episode, you'll discover the significance of milestones for tracking your progress, how endings can pave the way for new beginnings, and that the journey from executing a plan to reaching our goals is rarely a straight line.   Jess Dewell hosts Pam Didner, the Founder of Relentless Pursuit, LLC, and Mickie Kennedy, President of eReleases, to explore why it's bold to reflect on how endings can actually help us thrive.   --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

This episode originally aired on GoalChat, hosted by Debra Eckerling, a goal strategist and the creator of The DEB Method.   The panel features Jess Dewell, Managing Partner at Red Direction, who specializes in operations and strategy; Jeannette Seibly, a results-driven leadership coach; and Isioma Utomi, a consultant focused on leadership and productivity. Together, they explore modern leadership development and share their views on past and current leadership trends.    Each expert brings their unique flair to the discussion: Jess passionately advocates for the significance of purpose in leadership, Jeannette shares her insights on the art of effective communication and the power of self-promotion, while Isioma focuses on achieving impactful results that truly matter.    Whether you lead a department, are a valued team member, operate as an entrepreneur, or work as a consultant guiding others, this conversation will highlight the essential role you play in your leadership journey.    --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

The depth of your knowledge opens up new opportunities. The more you learn, the more you realize there's so much left to explore, which is why curiosity is key. Asking questions like, "What's going on behind this process?" or "What discoveries can help our industry improve?" is crucial. Also, consider what we might be doing that could inadvertently create new problems for our customers.   Sometimes, the way our industry works can be frustrating, which might motivate us to develop solutions to address its shortcomings. To make this happen, it's super important to have a team that's not only knowledgeable but also curious about new ways to do things. Even with a great team, we need to commit to using the info we have, looking for knowledge gaps, and connecting with experts who have a deep understanding of the field. This teamwork can highlight areas that are ready for product and process innovation.   In this podcast episode, you'll find out how to build a successful business by shaking up the foundation repair industry and pushing for better solutions for those who need them. You'll also see how a curious mindset has led to patents and inventions that have changed the game in this sector.   Your host, Jess Dewell, chats with RK Bob Brown, Founder of Spatial Vision, to discuss the importance of focusing on one solid idea and using that strength to drive growth.   —-----------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

Yesterday's playbook is useless for tomorrow's problems. Smart companies evolve their people, keep clarity around priorities, navigate uncertainty and grow.   The Gauntlet of Growth for sustainable growth has six parts: sharpening focus, calibrating culture, strengthening leadership, elevating talent, aligning structures, and amplifying communication. These insights are derived from hands-on work with high-growth companies that help founders and leaders scale their organizations.   In this episode, you will learn what it truly means to navigate change, how your role as a CEO evolves alongside your company, and the importance of aligning your actions throughout the organization to create a stronger company.   Jess Dewell talks with PeopleCap Advisors, Co-Founders Meg Crosby, Principal, and Howard Cleveland, Leadership Coach and Confidante, about how to lead in uncharted territory amid rapidly changing markets. They discuss what it means to be BOLD in your willingness to adapt as a founder, emphasizing the value of experimenting, failing, and learning to make confident decisions in new situations.   —-----------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

Are you responsible FOR your team or TO them? It takes courage to confront and transform the internalized shame and disgust that can affect our ability to harness anger as a force for good.   The next time you experience feelings of anger or shame, take a moment to pause and ask yourself, "Is this truly mine, or did I absorb it from someone else?" You may be surprised by what you find. This reflects the underlying myths society holds about anger. Any unresolved feelings of anger or shame could negatively impact your well-being, hinder your focus, and affect your business's bottom line. Self-accountability starts with recognizing and channeling your emotions as fuel for growth.   In this program, you will learn that you are only responsible for your own feelings, how to distinguish between healthy and reactive anger, and the importance of doing the necessary self-work (behind the scenes) to become whole. This enables you to show up fully in the world.   Jess Dewell speaks with Bronwyn Schweigerdt, a psychotherapist and host of the "Angry at the Right Things" podcast, about the role of emotions, how to transform shame into strength, and how to be BOLD by building self-trust and using emotions for assertive action.   -------------------- If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you to keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

Business teams thrive or struggle based on the attitude of their leadership. As a leader, you have the power to influence and uplift your team's environment, creating a significant impact through clear internal communication and a strong external presence.   Are you building an opportunity or obstacle into your company culture? Both conscious and unconscious beliefs shape self-image, behavior, and relationships. By managing your self-talk, you can control your outcomes. It's possible to take action that shifts your mindset so you—and your organization — can bounce back stronger each time.   In this episode, you will learn that it's okay to return to familiar strategies to achieve progress. Your beliefs shape and dictate your actions, and we will discuss the steps to becoming a conscious creator.    Join Jess Dewell and Coach Cudjo, President of Human Optimization 3.0, as they explore what it means to be BOLD in tapping into your full potential.   --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you to keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

In the pursuit of success, many people become fixated on future goals, often missing a vital ingredient for achievement: the power of taking a pause. How we manage our time dramatically influences what we can really accomplish.   Welcome to an exciting ENCORE episode of the BOLD Business Podcast! This conversation originally aired on Seeds of Wisdom by author Rachael Wolff.   Jess Dewell, a strategic growth consultant, dives deep into the transformative concept of pausing in the world of business, unravelling what pausing truly means, the incredible power it brings, and how it serves as a strategic tool for more thoughtful decision-making, heightened creativity, and more decisive leadership.    By shifting from reactive to responsive behaviors, you'll discover how a simple pause can pave the way for greater success. Don't miss this opportunity to rethink your approach and embrace the art of the pause!   --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. --------------------   You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website. 

Unlock your competitive edge by planning earlier than everyone else. Strategic planning is more than an annual box to check; it is a time to reflect, reorient, and reengage your company with its long-term objectives, and to align today's priorities with them.    The true cost of distraction goes beyond just affecting mental focus; it impacts your bottom line. It's not only about lost productivity; on average, it takes about 23 minutes and 15 seconds to switch between business activities. Even though we are working effectively, the time lost hinders our company from maximizing its available resources.   In this episode, you will hear how not to overthink reflection, the importance of taking time to understand your current position before moving forward, and tips for conducting productive deep work sessions.   The panelists in this "It's Your Business" conversation are all business advisors:  Christy Maxfield, President and CEO of Purpose First Advisors; Dean Barta, Founder and CEO of Barta Business Group; and  Jess Dewell, Growth Strategist at Red Direction. They discuss a three-part framework designed to unlock your business's growth potential and explore pathways for strategic re-engagement.   --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

Your success relies on your ability to continually grow over time by ensuring that what you do today aligns with your long-term goals. It can be tough, and let's be honest, the word "preparation" often gets a dull reaction. However, without it, you won't fully understand how your current resources can impact the results you're seeking.    Three key factors really drive sustainable growth. First, what are your nonnegotiables? When two things are equally important, one must always take precedence. That shows your priorities and how everything gets done. Second, carve out protected time each week just for strategy—ideally, at least two uninterrupted hours. Third, being adaptable gives you a competitive edge. It's not just about individual adaptability; it's the team's collective response to change that really makes a difference.   In this program, Jess Dewell, a Strategic Growth Consultant at Red Direction and host of the BOLD Business Podcast, shares valuable insights on how to pinpoint your business's core to drive sustainable growth. She discusses strategies for managing growth while navigating the uncertainties associated with complex business issues.   Additionally, Jess explores how a well-defined growth strategy can help your company remain competitive in the market. She breaks down the three main ideas behind an effective growth strategy, highlighting the essential components for managing change and overcoming obstacles.   —-----------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you to keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

There are invisible signals that differentiate bold business moves from costly mistakes. Calculated risks — financial, emotional, and strategic — unlock opportunities. In today's fast-paced environment, modern businesses need to embrace rapid change, particularly with the rise of AI. Start by focusing on what you know best: the strengths of your business, yourself, and your partners. Then, analyze how AI is impacting your industry and how your customers' needs and purchasing behaviors are evolving. In this episode, you will learn how to identify clues that indicate success or failure. You'll discover the importance of honing your skills to recognize when you're out of your depth and learn how to determine what results signify success. Remember, business success today is not defined by the same paths as in the past. The saying "don't judge a book by its cover" holds truer today than ever. Jess Dewell speaks with Scott Kelly, CEO of Black Dog Venture Partners, about how to navigate mistakes by listening for your next big opportunity and what it truly means to be BOLD and committed to big moves. --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you to keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

How do you dare to innovate when there are mouths to feed and mortgages looming? It's time to cut through the theory — real, practical risk-taking is not just bold, it's smart and can lead to significant gains.   Life comes with constraints, but by embracing them, you can shift your perspective and unlock innovative solutions that go beyond the standard "workable" options. It's absolutely possible to pursue your biggest dreams while taking calculated risks that maintain your stability. While pragmatic risk-taking may not have the flashiest reputation, its potential for substantial, long-term rewards is undeniable.   In this episode, we dive into the reality of situational decision-making. Discover how to stay in tune with your business even from afar and learn how to rethink constraints to make the best choices for your next step.    Jess Dewell sits down with Rich Kahn, CEO and Co-Founder of Anura Solutions, LLC, to explore the art of controlled risk, the power of being BOLD, and the clarity needed to achieve your goals. Don't miss this opportunity to be inspired to take your risks strategically!   —-----------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you to keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

Not every industry trend is worth chasing after. How you allocate your time is something you can truly manage.    Leverage your experience to step up and embrace new, riskier challenges. Your time is your most valuable asset, and being open to failure demonstrates to yourself and your superiors that you are willing to take risks and explore new opportunities.    As technology evolves at lightning speed, stepping into situations that highlight your cross-functional curiosity can help you build essential skills while sharpening your business instincts.   In this program, you'll learn about the critical need for two-way communication when making significant decisions. Just because your competitors are doing it doesn't mean your company should follow suit. Remember, time is your only true currency, so use it wisely.    Jess Dewell discusses with Mahesh Guruswamy, Technical Advisor at Luster, the importance of being BOLD and the courage to raise your hand and accept complex business challenges.   --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

The decisions you sidestep often carry the heaviest consequences. Embracing a "NO" can lead uncovering your greatest victories. Taking small, bold actions consistently over time equips you for the more significant leaps ahead.    Your mindset around confidence, setbacks, and daily activities can determine whether your business succeeds or fails. It's high time to stop shying away from the information that enriches your decision-making process. Those cozy chairs may remain unnoticed until you actively seek them out.   This conversation is about the importance of reaching out to the right people about your strategic ideas, as this can often be a limiting factor. Furthermore, you'll learn that developing your own decision-making framework is crucial for engaging with your growth strategy. It's all about taking consistent actions that enable your company to push forward, refine which ideas to explore, and then experiment with them.   In this UNCHARTED episode, Jess Dewell speaks with Rosco Graves Jr., Managing Director at Polaxis. They discuss the vital balance of optimism and realism necessary to confront the discomfort that comes with scaling, and what makes it BOLD to step away from the temptation of easy wins.   —-----------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

The potential of your business has a gatekeeper: the day-to-day conversations you engage in. From great ideas that never take off to the changes that promises bring, understanding our own communication patterns can help unlock growth.   Meaningful conversation is rooted in self-development and an open-minded approach to understanding others' perspectives. While there are many correct choices to make, only one can be selected at a time. It's important to ensure that the choices and promises made—whether to ourselves, our teams, or our company—support the future of the business rather than hinder it.   In this episode, you will learn how to identify cues that require closer attention, the true impact of promises on the bottom line, and how slowing down just a little can enhance your chances of success.   Jess Dewell speaks with Chuck Wisner, CEO of Wisner Inc., about what bold companies do to turn conflict into growth and how to break through conversational patterns that can sabotage innovation.   --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you to keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

What would you do to forgive yourself and unlock your business' true potential? This is achievable when you regularly engage in honest assessment without judgment.   Servant leadership combines compassion with a strong focus on accountability. It involves genuinely caring for both the employees and the community your organization serves, while also maintaining high standards and holding everyone accountable for results. This approach requires self-awareness, enabling you to foster a culture of accountability where everyone can thrive.   In the launch of Season 9 of the BOLD Business Podcast, you'll discover that it is indeed possible to identify areas in need of improvement and make significant changes. You can reach for greatness because it is a tangible goal, and you can embrace your imperfections while forgiving your past self.   Jess Dewell talks with Tom Gegax, Gramercy Fund / Confessions of a CEO Film, about why it is BOLD to break the current expectation of what a CEO's role is.   --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you to keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

Being curious and stepping into new dynamics are tangible signs of bold leadership. It requires committing to courageous practices that ultimately make the greatest impact both in business and beyond. And it starts with you, as an authentic individual. Bringing more of yourself to every moment of your day will give you MORE energy.    You can have "space" in your meetings, conversations, or company culture to unlock your team's best ideas. It is the intangible connections that transform how your business scales, grows, and belongs together.    Embrace experimentation — after all, we all do it already. Be intentional about tuning in to the people around you, and work to overcome any feelings of shame or embarrassment that may hold you back from acknowledging how interesting each person is.    Jess Dewell talks with Heather Hester, Founder of More Human More Kind, about being BOLD and acting with courage even when it feels uncomfortable or risky, and about being brave and honest about mistakes and strategic challenges to reach your growth potential.    Tune in to explore what you're already doing successfully, which will help you enhance those efforts and demonstrate positive energy management and trust-building behaviors. You'll also learn about the concept of "Brave Belonging" and how cultivating curiosity can energize your team.   --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

The way you develop and execute goals, choose connections to form relationships, and overcome limiting beliefs may be at odds with your definition of success.   There are pitfalls associated with the power of goal setting, but you can begin right where you are. Question the goals you set to ensure they genuinely reflect your aspirations and are free from family or societal expectations. Discard any ego-driven goals to uncover your authentic objectives. By cultivating deep, meaningful relationships, you can build a support system that helps you courageously confront limiting beliefs while staying true to your authentic self.   When you demonstrate genuine care and value for others, you create a cycle of positive, impactful relationships at all levels, which in turn fuels your goals.   In this episode of the BOLD Business Podcast, you'll learn that relationships are central to everything in life. Your dreams matter, so it's essential to articulate them clearly for yourself. Every business has a plan, as you've already answered THE question.   It's time to tap into the human aspect of goal setting by listening to the conversation between Jess Dewell and David Steele, Founder / CEO of One Wealth Advisors and Co-Founder / Executive Chairman of Flour + Water Hospitality Group. They discuss the human elements of goal setting, and David emphasizes the importance of rigorously examining your own goals to ensure they are authentic and not based on ego or external pressure.   --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you to keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.

Partnerships play a vital role in the future of your business, whether you're just launching or you've been in the game for years. Interestingly, companies often fail not because of a poor idea, but rather due to partnerships that go awry.  In this episode of "It's Your Business," Jess Dewell, a strategic growth consultant, Christy Maxfield, a business consultant and Dean Barta, a financial advisor, offer valuable insights to help you strengthen your relationships, minimize risks, and secure your business's future.  They explore the often-overlooked potential of curiosity and mutual accountability, guiding you through five essential steps to evaluate your current partnership.  By doing so, you'll be equipped to engage in meaningful conversations with your partners. This approach transcends mere pleasantries, diving into the complex yet crucial discussions that can truly make or break your business. --------------------   If you want to identify business bottlenecks, the necessary skills, the initial actions to take, the expected milestones, and the priorities for achieving growth, try the "Growth Framework Reset" approach. This will help you keep learning and growing while working strategically on your business. -------------------- You can get in touch with Jess Dewell on Twitter,  LinkedIn or Red Direction website.