This podcast helps service-based entrepreneurs and business owners scale their businesses in any economy without overworking or overwhelm. The goal is to create a valuable asset you could sell (if you wanted to) while enjoying life and freedom as you scale it. Here, you turn your business into a client-attracting gem and become a high-performing CEO. About the Host: Maggie Perotin is the founder of Stairway to Leadership. As an international business and leadership coach, Maggie helps service-based business owners start, grow, and scale their businesses without overworking or being overwhelmed. With her DREAM-PLAN-DO coaching model, her clients scale while transforming into high-performing CEOs of their businesses. This is what USA Today wrote about this model in the article titled: "How Stairway to Leadership is turning small businesses into high-profit ventures." "(...) her DREAM-PLAN-DO coaching model, she helps her clients align their mindset, business strategy, and high-performance habits to transform their businesses from an unreliable source of income to a super-productive, client-attracting gem. Maggie adds that she uses all her knowledge and experience to help her clients grow their businesses in a strategic and innovative way while supporting them in building a successful business that consistently attracts their ideal clients. She specializes in helping them build a brand that showcases their uniqueness to reach their full potential, becoming the powerful CEO they’re capable of being." Maggie has over 15 years of experience in corporate leadership in various business domains and coaching. She holds an executive MBA from the Jack Welch Management Institute. Maggie lives in Toronto, Canada, with her blended family of four kids. She loves spending time in nature, traveling, reading, dancing, good food, and giving back. To learn more, head to www.stairwaytoleadership.com To work with Maggie and gain breakthrough clarity on why your business isn't scaling, schedule a free 50-min consultation https://calendly.com/maggie-s2l/discovery-call
Listen to episodes
60 recent
October 26, 20266 min
Stop Guessing Your Way Through 2027. Prepare For It Instead - MM 277
Are you guessing your way through business decisions or learning what actually works? In this Maggie’s Moment, discover how thinking like a scientist can help you make better business decisions, learn from what works (and what doesn’t), and prepare your business for sustainable growth in 2027. ✨ Ready to turn your goals into an actionable plan? Join Design Your Success 2027 , my complimentary two-day virtual strategic planning experience for ambitious service-based entrepreneurs. 📅 Choose your dates: November 17–18, December 8–9, 2026, or January 6–7, 2027. 🔗 Register here: https://designyoursuccess2027.pagebuilder.gg/
October 23, 2026Episode 27626 min
2027 Small Business Predictions — How to Adapt, Find Opportunities, and Grow - EP # 276
Is business feeling harder than it used to? If sales are taking longer, costs are rising, and clients are becoming more selective, you're not alone. In this episode of the Diamond Effect Podcast , Maggie explores what economic forecasts for 2027 could mean for small service-based businesses in Canada and the United States and, more importantly, how to respond strategically. Economic uncertainty doesn't mean opportunity disappears. Maggie shares real examples of clients who are finding new markets, turning strategic relationships into business, and creating offers around changing client needs. In this episode, you'll discover: What economic forecasts suggest about the business environment in Canada and the U.S. in 2027. Why understanding your value and delivering a great client experience matters when buyers become more selective. How to protect profit margins without compromising the quality of your services. Why changing markets can create new opportunities for your business. How strategic relationships can lead to business months after you start building them. Why you should stop guessing and start thinking like a scientist in your own business. You'll also learn why tracking what happens, measuring the numbers that matter, testing your assumptions, and learning from the results can help you make better decisions. Ready to plan your next level? Join Maggie for Design Your Success 2027 , a complimentary, two-day virtual strategic planning experience for ambitious service-based business owners. You'll review what worked in 2026, set meaningful goals, identify your business's capacity gaps, and build a practical strategic roadmap for 2027—with live coaching and support from other business owners. Choose your dates: November 17–18, 2026 December 8–9, 2026 January 6–7, 2027 Both days run from 1:00–3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, live on Zoom. 👉 Register for Design Your Success 2027: https://designyoursuccess2027.pagebuilder.gg/ Remember: You can't control everything the economy will throw at you. But you can decide how you prepare, how you respond, and what kind of business you build. Build something bigger without making your life smaller.
October 19, 20264 min
Three Ways Business Owners Are Creating Opportunity Right Now - MM 276
It's hard to build a business right now. I won't pretend it isn't. But I'm watching my clients find real opportunities, and it's never the ones who wait for things to feel easier. It's the ones who stay connected, get strategic, and go out and create them. So if the outside world has been getting into your head lately, come back to what you can control. Then take one proactive step this week. You can still grow your business. Keep going. If you want help getting strategic about finding your opportunities, you can book a complimentary consultation here: https://calendly.com/maggie-s2l/consultation-call-1
October 16, 2026Episode 27526 min
The Power of Gratitude: How Appreciation Strengthens Relationships and Leadership - EP # 275
Gratitude is more than feeling thankful—it's an intentional practice that can shift your perspective, strengthen relationships, and help you become a more effective leader. In this episode, Maggie explores how a simple daily gratitude practice can help you recognize your progress instead of focusing only on what's missing, why expressing appreciation matters in our personal relationships, and how leaders can use genuine, specific recognition to reinforce the behaviors that build stronger teams and businesses. You'll also get a simple seven-day challenge to put gratitude into practice. In this episode, you'll learn: How gratitude can help you see the bigger picture on difficult days. Why high achievers need to pause and recognize their progress. How expressing appreciation strengthens personal and professional connections. How leaders can recognize ownership, initiative, and problem-solving to build a stronger team culture. Mentioned in this episode: The Dream-Plan-Do Journal, featuring daily prompts for five things you're grateful for and three things you're proud of. Listen in and discover how a small daily practice can make a meaningful difference in your life and business.
October 12, 202610 min
The Power of Having a Coach - MM 275
You don't need a business coach just to tell you what to do. You need someone who helps you see what you can't see, solve what’s holding you back, and move forward faster. Because sometimes, the biggest obstacle isn't a lack of knowledge or a bad strategy. It's being too close to your own business to see the opportunities in front of you. Spending weeks trying to solve a problem someone could help you untangle in one conversation. Or letting day-to-day fires push your most important business goals to the bottom of the list. The right coaching relationship can change that. ✨ See more. ✨ Solve faster. ✨ Move forward. Imagine where you could be six or twelve months from now with the right perspective, support, and focus. 🎧 Listen to this week's Maggie's Moment to learn more. Book a complimentary consultation with Maggie HERE - https://calendly.com/maggie-s2l/consultation-call-1
October 9, 2026Episode 27434 min
Why Most Group Coaching Programs Don't Work and What Actually Helps Service Business Owners Grow - EP # 274
Why do some business owners invest in coaching but still struggle to turn what they're learning into results? In this behind-the-scenes episode, I pull back the curtain on the complete rebuild of my Diamond Effect Group curriculum and explain why I believe effective business coaching needs to go beyond simply giving you more information. I share: Why large group coaching programs can become expensive courses without enough individualized support Why implementation and personalized feedback matter so much The three-part Connect → Convert → Continue framework behind the new curriculum How today's AI-driven, changing business environment requires more than strategies Why sustainable growth requires developing the business owner and CEO , not just learning tactics Real client examples of growing revenue, leaving jobs, building teams and reducing overwhelm Why I intentionally designed the program as a 12-month experience And the BELONG culture that makes Diamond Effect a community—not just another coaching program If you're a service-based business owner working toward your first six figures—or trying to get back to consistent growth—this episode will give you a behind-the-scenes look at how I approach sustainable business growth and why I've built Diamond Effect the way I have. Want to see if Diamond Effect Group is right for you? Book a complimentary consultation with me here - https://calendly.com/maggie-s2l/consultation-call-1
October 5, 20267 min
3 Things Service Businesses Need to Build a Steady Flow of Clients - MM 274
How do you create a steady flow of clients without constantly wondering where the next one will come from? In this Maggie’s Moment, I break down the three pillars of a strong client acquisition engine : Be found — through SEO, your website, Google Business Profile, reviews and increasingly AI search. Create demand organically — through referrals, repeat clients, content, networking, partnerships and other channels that make sense for your business. Add paid acquisition — such as Google, Meta or LinkedIn ads and sponsorships, as your business grows. But lead generation is only half the equation. You also need a sales process that turns a healthy percentage of those leads into clients. Because sustainable growth isn't about finding one magical marketing tactic. It's about building an acquisition system that consistently creates opportunities—and converts them. And if you need help setting up a complete client acquisition engine tailored to your business, Maggie can help. Book a complimentary consultation with her here to talk about it.
October 2, 2026Episode 27340 min
From Immigrant Garage Startup to 7-Figure Luxury Brand: Olympic Kitchens’ Story with Louie Katsis - EP # 273
Louie Katsis, CKD, is the second-generation owner of Olympic Kitchens , a Toronto-based luxury custom cabinetry company founded in 1973. With over 30 years of hands-on experience across manufacturing, installation, design, sales, project management, and business leadership, Louie has helped evolve the company from a small operation into a 7-figure business while keeping craftsmanship and client trust at the center. In this conversation, we talk about: The immigrant-founder story behind Olympic Kitchens—and what it teaches about resilience and reinvention Why the real work begins after the sale (and how client experience drives growth) How to design a customer journey that earns trust before the “reveal” Leading a team through change: new systems, new tech, and the mindset required to keep up How Olympic Kitchens is using AI to estimate faster, reduce wasted effort, and make better decisions Louie’s leadership evolution—from doing everything himself to building a team that owns their lane If you’re a service-based business owner who wants to scale with integrity, this episode will challenge you (in the best way): excellence is the strategy—and systems are what protect it. What You’ll Learn: How premium brands win: consistency, detail, and trust—not gimmicks The “walkthrough” ritual that closes the loop and creates referrals Why involving your team early reduces resistance to new systems How to think about AI as leverage (not a threat) The leadership shift required to scale beyond your own capacity Mentioned in This Episode: The power of referrals and reputation as your most reliable marketing channel The difference between “selling” and delivering an experience that confirms the client made the right decision The importance of boundaries (including not messaging staff after 5pm) About Louie Katsis: Louie Katsis, CKD is the second-generation owner of Olympic Kitchens , a Toronto-based luxury custom cabinetry company founded in 1973. Louie has over 30 years of hands-on experience across manufacturing, installation, design, sales, project management, and business leadership. About Olympic Kitchens: Olympic Kitchens is a Toronto-based, family-owned custom cabinetry company founded in 1973. They specialize in high-end kitchens and custom millwork, with a strong focus on thoughtful design, precision craftsmanship, and creating an exceptional client experience from concept through installation. Their brand philosophy distills down to this: They believe in the transformative power of exceptional design, precision craftsmanship, and unwavering attention to detail. Follow Olympic Kitchens on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olympic.kitchens.inc/
September 28, 20268 min
Dream Plan Do: Making Q4 2026 Count - MM 273
Q4 of 2026 is starting. Three full months. That is actually a pretty meaningful amount of time when you stop trying to accomplish everything at once. That's actually why I created my Dream-Plan-Do Journal. Because I've noticed something with myself and with my coaching clients: Setting the goal usually isn't the problem. We know how to set goals. We write them down. We make plans. We get excited. And then life happens. The schedule fills up. Something unexpected comes along. Other people's priorities take over. And that goal gets pushed to next week, then next month, and eventually next year. The missing piece usually isn't motivation. It's having a simple system that helps you turn the goal into action—and keep going when life gets in the way. That's what Dream-Plan-Do is about. And in today's Maggie's Moment, Maggie explains in detail how this works. So that you can make Q4 count. And to ensure you follow through with your goal, purchase your Dream-Plan-Do journal HERE . https://mybook.to/DreamPlanDoJournal
September 25, 2026Episode 27232 min
Why Your Employees Keep Bringing You Problems Instead of Solutions - EP # 272
If your team keeps showing up at your door with problems and waiting for you to fix them, the issue probably isn't them. It's the leadership environment you've built around them. In this episode, Maggie breaks down the six pieces that turn dependent employees into problem-solvers who take ownership. In This Episode, You'll Hear About Maggie's corporate story of turning around a dysfunctional, disengaged team in 18 months The research behind psychological safety (Amy Edmondson and Google's team effectiveness study) Why "be proactive" is useless advice if you haven't defined what it means The difference between delegating outcomes and micromanaging steps The dependency loop vs. the ownership loop and how to shift your team from one to the other Six reflection questions every business owner should ask about their own leadership Chapters 00:00 Why employees bring problems instead of solutions 02:15 The corporate team turnaround story 06:30 Piece 1: Psychological safety and trust 10:00 Piece 2: Clear expectations that actually mean something 13:20 Piece 3: Delegating outcomes, not steps 16:45 Piece 4: Decision-making authority 20:10 Piece 5: Accountability alongside empowerment 23:30 Piece 6: Incentives that reward thinking, not just results 27:00 The dependency loop vs. the ownership loop 30:15 Six reflection questions for business owners Let's Keep the Conversation Going Ready to build a team that thinks for themselves and takes ownership? Book a complimentary consultation: calendly.com/maggie-s2l/consultation-call-1 Visit: stairwaytoleadership.com Subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. It helps more leaders find this show.
Is this your show?
Claim this listing to keep it up to date, reach guests who want to pitch you, and manage bookings with Guestify.
