The Friday Habit

Beth Goff-McMillan is the CEO of SKG, one of the fastest-growing and largest woman-owned businesses in Texas, and the founder of FOLIO. On this episode of The Friday Habit, she talks with Mark Labriola II about leading on your own terms — including what changed when she turned 50, how to hold space without losing power in male-dominated rooms, what young women often miss entering the workplace, and how aging leaders stay relevant without burning out.Under Beth's leadership, SKG has made the Inc. 5000 list three consecutive years, been named among Austin and San Antonio's Best Places to Work, and expanded flagship showrooms including the region's first Healing & Learning Center for restorative workplace design. She is a Henry Crown Fellow, former first woman chair of YPO Austin, serves on the UT Leadership and Ethics Council, and was named 2023 CEO of the Year by the Austin Business Journal.Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dzij101wL_IConnect with Beth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-goff-mcmillan-82074bSKG: https://skgtexas.com

In this episode of The Friday Habit, we sit down with Zach Staples to talk about entrepreneurship, leadership, technology, AI, and the lessons that come from building companies over time.Zach shares how his experiences in the Navy shaped the way he thinks about leadership and entrepreneurship, why experience can give founders an advantage, and how his first company, Fathom Five, influenced the way he approaches building technology today.We also discuss AI, where it should be applied, why moving quickly doesn't mean moving carelessly, and why choosing the right environment for experimentation matters.Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/x9Zo_7XygPoKey Insights1. Experience compounds: Career paths often only make sense in retrospect, and seemingly unrelated experiences can eventually shape a unique perspective and contribution.2. Communication is a founder's responsibility: If you can't explain what you're building simply enough for anyone to understand, you probably haven't clarified the idea enough yet.3. Choose where you move fast: Innovation requires experimentation, but the environment matters. The goal is to move quickly in areas where potential risks can be observed and managed.#Entrepreneurship #Founders #Leadership #ArtificialIntelligence #BusinessGrowth #TheFridayHabit

Mark talks with Arthur Beisner about small business sales, valuations, acquisitions, and exit planning.

In this episode of The Friday Habit, Mark sits down with Christian Ray Flores to talk about career transitions, the "competence trap," personal branding, and what happens when your expertise becomes so familiar that you stop seeing its value.They discuss why starting as a generalist can be useful, how skills from seemingly unrelated experiences can transfer into new industries, and why your differences, failures, preferences, and perspectives can become part of your personal brand.The conversation also explores how focusing your expertise into central ideas and pillar concepts can help you create content more consistently.

In this episode of The Friday Habit, Mark welcomes back Bryan Clayton, founder and CEO of GreenPal, the on-demand lawn care marketplace connecting homeowners with local lawn care professionals across the country.After successfully building and selling a $10 million landscaping company, Bryan started over from scratch with one goal: build a company that could eventually thrive without him. Over the past decade, GreenPal has grown into a nationwide platform serving hundreds of thousands of users every week—all without outside funding.Bryan shares the lessons he's learned from scaling a technology company, building systems that outlive the founder, leveraging AI to move faster, and creating a business that is designed to be sold from day one. He also opens up about founder identity, delegation, personal health, and why working on yourself is just as important as working on your business.If you're building a service business, SaaS company, or simply trying to create something that doesn't depend entirely on you, this conversation is full of practical insights.Key TakeawaysBuild your business to function without you.Systems create freedom; hustle alone does not.Delegate only after you understand the work yourself.AI amplifies experience—it doesn't replace it.Track inputs, not just outcomes.Every dollar spent should have a measurable return.Your business should become stronger while you're away.Hire naturally motivated people instead of trying to motivate the wrong ones.Protect your health while building your company.Continuous learning is one of the greatest competitive advantages.Notable TopicsBuilding GreenPal After Selling a $10 Million CompanyBryan explains why he started over after selling his landscaping business and how he intentionally designed GreenPal to be a scalable, sellable company from day one.The Difference Between a Lifestyle Business and a Sellable BusinessMany entrepreneurs accidentally build themselves a job. Bryan discusses the mindset shift required to create a company that has value beyond its founder.Running Your Business From a SpreadsheetEvery expense should produce a return. Bryan shares why emotional decision-making can reduce business value and how disciplined financial thinking creates long-term growth.AI Is a Force Multiplier—Not a ReplacementAI dramatically increases productivity, but only when paired with real-world experience and deep understanding of your craft.Delegation Done RightOne of the biggest mistakes founders make is delegating too early. Bryan explains why you should first understand a process before handing it off.Working In, On, and On YourselfAs businesses mature, founders should gradually shift their time from daily operations toward strategy, leadership, and personal growth.Building a Team That Doesn't Need MotivationRather than trying to motivate employees, Bryan focuses on hiring naturally curious and self-driven people who already love the work they do.Health and Business PerformanceAfter reaching nearly 300 pounds while building GreenPal, Bryan realized his physical health directly impacted his leadership and decision-making.ChaptersWelcome Back Bryan ClaytonThe Growth of GreenPalScaling From Startup to Nationwide PlatformThe Three Growth Buckets: Get, Keep, GrowLeading a 300,000-User MarketplaceHow AI Is Changing EntrepreneurshipWhy Experience Still MattersBuilding a Business to SellLifestyle Business vs. Sellable BusinessRunning Every Decision Through ROIFounder Identity After Selling a CompanyBuilding Systems That Outlast YouWorking In the Business vs. On the BusinessDelegating at the Right TimeAvoiding Founder FOMOHiring Motivated PeopleLessons From Personal HealthLearning Through YouTube and AIMonday Morning ChallengeFinal ThoughtsResources & LinksLearn more about GreenPalConnect with Bryan ClaytonVisit TheFridayHabit.comDownload the free Friday Habit System guideMemorable Quotes"You don't really have a business until you can leave for a month and come back stronger.""Run your business from a spreadsheet—not from your emotions.""AI is a force multiplier for people who already know what they're doing.""Track the inputs, not the outputs.""Hire motivated people. Your job is simply not to demotivate them.""Work in the business, then on the business, and finally on yourself."Monday Morning Action ItemSpend the next 30 days intentionally learning one skill that will move your business forward.Use AI tools, online courses, podcasts, and YouTube to immerse yourself in that topic every day. Focus on mastering one area that removes a bottleneck in your business, then immediately apply what you've learned.