The Business Strategist With Adam Strong

Hosted by Adam Strong

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Jun 2026

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The Business Strategist is the ultimate podcast for entrepreneurs, founders and business owners looking to scale, grow, and exit their businesses successfully. Hosted by Adam Strong, an award-winning strategist with over 30 years of industry experience and three times best selling author. Each episode delivers actionable business advice, practical tools, and insights to help you build a thriving enterprise. Whether you want to master leadership, craft a winning exit strategy, or implement proven scaling techniques, this podcast has you covered. With expert interviews, real-world case studies, and a focus on achieving business freedom, the business strategist is your go-to resource for taking your business to the next level. Tune in every week for new episodes designed to inspire, educate, and empower your entrepreneurial journey. Adam's Contact details LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong Is your business ready to run without you? Take the 2-minute Exit Readiness Assessment — a fast, strategic scorecard for founders who want to scale, sell, or step back without becoming the bottleneck. Get instant insights across leadership, systems, marketing, and more. Click here to take the assessment: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com

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June 11, 2026Episode 39646 min

The Invisible Tax Draining Your Business

What if the thing quietly draining thousands from your business every year isn't your salary bill, your software stack, or even your team... but the hundreds of tiny decisions you make before lunch?In this episode I sit down with Barry Cryan, founder of Do More Better, who's coached over 6,000 entrepreneurs on how to work less and grow more. Barry's journey into this work didn't start in a boardroom. It started in a bathroom at work, locking the door for twenty minutes at a time, trying to function through undiagnosed Lyme disease.What he built to survive that period became the framework he now uses with six and seven figure founders. We get into the invisible tax most business owners are paying without realising, why your to-do list might be the problem (not the solution), and the small shift that helped one of his clients turn a day and a half of work into three hours.Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/Timestamps00:00 The Invisible Tax on Business Decisions07:18 Understanding Microdecisions and Their Impact10:57 Conducting a Foundational Diagnostic Assessment14:08 Maximizing Productivity Through Focus Blocks19:11 Exploring the Flow State and Its Triggers23:05 Understanding Flow Triggers and Friction Points25:00 Revenue vs. Productivity: The Real Issue27:47 The Invisible Tax of Low-Value Tasks29:09 Filtering Noise for Better Focus32:54 Coaching Session: Identifying Challenges37:17 Structuring Time for Efficiency40:59 Creating Predictable Processes for SuccessABOUT THE GUESTwww.barrycryan.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-cryan-30158985/?skipRedirect=truehttps://www.instagram.com/cryanbarry/15-minute Founder Time Buyback Assessments (limited) https://www.domorebetter.ie/free_assessmentABOUT THE HOSTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrongWebsite: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

June 4, 2026Episode 39552 min

The 7 Stages Of Growth Nobody Taught You

What if everything you've built over the last 15 years was only worth a fraction of what you thought? And what if the reason had nothing to do with how hard you worked?In this episode I sat down with Matthew Pohl, founder of the ReWild Group, author of 16 books and the guy who took 30 years of research across 1,500 businesses and turned it into something every founder needs to hear.We got into the hidden barriers nobody talks about. Why headcount, not revenue, determines your real stage of growth. Why most founders are playing a game they don't even know has levels.Value bombs from this episode Find out the 7 stages of growth and why most founders get stuck between two of themLearn the people, process, profit ranking that most founders get completely wrongDiscover the builder vs protector ratio and why it changes at every stageHear the brutal truth about why your business might be worth less than you thinkGet the diagnostic question that reveals where you actually are versus where you think you areInterested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/Timestamps00:00 The valuation that gut punched Matt after 15 years 02:23 The rude awakening every founder dreads 04:37 The business Matt built and why it nearly broke him 06:09 Status quo or take the risk, the decision point 08:10 Discovering James Fisher and the stages of growth 09:31 Tripling revenue in three years using the roadmap 11:42 Why headcount beats revenue every time 14:59 The seven stages of growth explained 20:23 Lifestyle business vs performance business 26:38 The identity shift most founders refuse to make 30:24 The practical exercise to diagnose your real stage 33:46 Coaching segment begins 35:30 The gates of focus, people, process, profit 38:00 My live ranking and what it revealed 42:00 Why Matt got it wrong for 12 years 48:16 The builder vs protector ratio 51:12 The layoff that crushed Matt's confidence 53:24 Final takeaways and where to find MattABOUT THE GUESThttps://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewepohl/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoGoEIyS19fnAdcSJBdlh3gStages of Growth Video Series (Stages of Growth Online Series — The ReWild Group) ABOUT THE HOSTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrongWebsite: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

May 28, 2026Episode 39438 min

Uncertainty Is The Best Time To Grow

Ever wonder why you're grafting harder than ever and the needle just won't shift?Dr Rebecca Homkes is back on the show after one of our most popular episodes of 2025. She lectures at London Business School, advises Fortune 500 companies, and wrote the bestseller Survive, Reset, Thrive. We got into why most founders are stuck in the wrong mode without realising it, what the data is actually saying about the economy right now, and the shift in mindset that could change everything for your business over the next twelve months. If you've been blaming the market for your flatlining business, this one is a reality check. Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/Value bombs The reframe that changes how you handle uncertaintyWhy hustle culture is quietly killing your growthThe K-shaped economy and what it means for youThe 4 Cs every founder needs when the wheels come offThe strategy frameworks Rebecca has bannedChapters00:00 Introduction: The Challenge of Business Growth01:14 Meet Dr. Rebecca Homkes: Expert in Strategy and Leadership02:04 Reframing Uncertainty as a Growth Opportunity02:58 The Power of Market Noise Filtering05:30 Agility as a Methodology, Not a Structure07:23 Beliefs, Trends, and Signposts in Strategy09:59 Data Insights on Global Economic Trends14:11 Stock Market Reactions During Crises15:56 Consumer Confidence and Spending Trends19:15 Managing Survive and Reset Phases21:43 What Does a Reset Look Like?26:12 Building a Robust Reset Strategy28:17 Execution, Agility, and Learning29:30 Avoiding Hustle Culture: The Importance of Alignment30:11 The Role of AI in Business Strategy32:47 Myths and Realities of AI Replacing Jobs35:48 Predictions for the Next 6-12 Months36:17 The Power of Learning in Uncertainty37:09 Final Thoughts and RecommendationsEnjoyed today’s episode? Leave a review over on Apple or Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-business-strategist-with-adam-strong/id1518654325https://open.spotify.com/show/4vKVMmsZ4MwVooQOlEAzrdABOUT THE GUESTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-homkes/Book: https://amzn.eu/d/0g524MacABOUT THE HOSTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrongWebsite: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

May 21, 2026Episode 39352 min

Land Your First Board Seat in 60 Days Without Doing This

Ever wondered why most board seats seem to go to the same handful of grey-suited blokes, while the rest of us are told to go off and buy a certificate?I sat back down with Callum Laing for a conversation that quietly flipped a few of my own assumptions. We got into how boards actually work behind the closed door, why most of what you've been told about landing one is nonsense, and the simple move that can put you on a board in weeks rather than years. I'll be honest, I came in thinking I knew the rules of this game. I left with a notebook full of stuff I'm now actively using.Callum Laing is a serial entrepreneur, ambassador, and bestselling author of four books, including his latest, Boardroom Blueprint. He's spent the last decade working in the gap between small business and public markets, helping founders take companies public while keeping control. He runs the Veblen Director Programme and lives in Singapore.Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/A few teasers from the chat:The board certification con (and who's really cashing in on it)The one-line pitch that gets you on a board without ever applyingWhy your first board seat should never be your final oneHow a 70-year-old retired entrepreneur turned a free advisory role into hundreds of thousandsThe five things you actually need to land proper board rolesChapters 00:00 Introduction03:45 Creating and Joining Boards: Filling Gaps in Leadership and Small Businesses 11:42 Debunking Myths: Certifications and Best Practices in Board Membership 25:20 Promoting Diversity in Boardrooms: Challenges and Opportunities 26:42 Recognising Overlooked Points 28:52 The Power of Creating Your Own Board 29:43 Interest in Getting on Boards 35:56 The Value of Being a Foreigner on a Board 40:06 Compensation for Board Positions 44:43 Leveraging Board Experience 47:32 Tying Compensation to Results 50:55 The Veblen Director Program and Boardroom BlueprintABOUT THE GUESTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callumlaing/ X: https://x.com/laingcallum YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CallumLaing Book: https://bit.ly/BB-dbook Audiobook: https://bit.ly/BB-AudioYTABOUT THE HOSTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrongWebsite: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

May 14, 2026Episode 39216 min

How to Know When to Scale Your Business

Most founders are convinced they're ready to scale. Most of them aren't. So how do you actually know the difference?The leads are coming in. The team's growing. Revenue's up. Then six months later you're more exhausted, more overwhelmed and somehow further from where you wanted to be. Sound familiar? In this solo episode I'm walking through the five indicators I actually look for before I tell any founder they're ready to scale. I've pulled in real stories from clients I've worked with recently, including an architecture firm doing something most businesses would never dare to do, plus a few mistakes I've made in my own business that I'd rather you didn't repeat.Inside this episodeThe five numbers I track every single week (and the three most founders ignore)Why one firm I work with deliberately turns paying clients awayThe cash flow trap that hits hardest right when things feel goodThe team conversation you keep putting off and what it's quietly costing youWhy being brilliant at your craft can actually keep your business stuckInterested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: Enjoyed today’s episode? Leave a review over on Apple or Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-business-strategist-with-adam-strong/id1518654325https://open.spotify.com/show/4vKVMmsZ4MwVooQOlEAzrdChapters00:00 Identifying Market Demand for Business Growth02:38 Understanding Cash Flow Dynamics05:47 Streamlining Operations for Efficiency08:25 Preparing Your Team for Expansion11:38 Crafting a Clear Growth PlanABOUT THE HOSTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrongWebsite: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

May 7, 2026Episode 3911 hr 9 min

The Exit Strategy 82% of Founders Get Wrong

12 exits. $925 million. And Gregory Shepard told me the one thing that nearly destroyed every single one of them was something no founder ever sees coming.Gregory Shepard is a serial entrepreneur, TEDx speaker and author of The Startup Lifecycle who has spent five years researching why over 90% of startups fail using 210,000 case studies. He walked me through the whiteboard technique he used to reverse engineer his own mistakes across three decades of building and scaling companies and the mindset shift around exit planning that changed everything. We got into some really honest territory around what hustle culture actually cost him, why he believes the people giving founders advice on growth and valuation are often the ones doing the most damage, and a dead simple piece of exit strategy advice for business owners who think they have left it too late to sell. This one is packed full of golden nuggetsIn this episode we coverThe real reason most startups fail and why nobody talks about itThe question you should be asking yourself every week that could save your business years of painThe exit strategy mistake that keeps 82% of business owners trappedWhy the people you trust most might be giving you the worst adviceThe signal that tells you exactly when to sell before you are left without a chairEnjoyed today’s episode? Leave a review over on Apple or Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-business-strategist-with-adam-strong/id1518654325https://open.spotify.com/show/4vKVMmsZ4MwVooQOlEAzrd00:00 Introduction02:54 Reflections on Early Entrepreneurship07:17 Learning from Mistakes12:15 The Importance of Documentation14:06 Pivotal Realisations in Business20:47 The Impact of Hardship on Resilience21:37 Balancing Multiple Startups24:26 Motivation Behind the Hustle26:30 Evolving Definitions of Wealth27:43 Mindset Shifts in Exiting Businesses31:34 Understanding Startup Failures36:25 Navigating Bad Advice in Entrepreneurship38:47 Navigating Startup Challenges40:09 Defining a Startup42:02 Lessons from High-Stakes Professions44:56 Handling Business Fires46:06 Moments of Brutal Honesty48:39 The Importance of Altruistic Capitalism49:08 Convincing Investors of Purpose54:00 Understanding Exit Strategies55:43 Selling to Competitors57:25 Life After Exiting a Business58:45 Future Aspirations and Legacy01:02:05 Identifying Opportunities in Disruption01:06:15 Timing Your ExitABOUT THE GUESTWebsite: https://www.gregoryshepard.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregshepardABOUT THE HOSTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrongWebsite: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

April 30, 2026Episode 39051 min

Stop Solving Your Team's Problems: The Founder Trap That's Killing Your Business

What if the reason your team won't step up is because you keep stepping in?I sat down with Elizabeth Lotardo, bestselling author of Leading Yourself, Harvard Medical School Institute of Coaching Fellow and the brain behind a LinkedIn course that's been taken by over two million people worldwide.We got into something I think every founder secretly wrestles with but rarely says out loud. The trap of being the one who solves everything. The hidden cost of caring too much. And why the high performer wiring that got you here is the exact thing keeping you stuck.Elizabeth pulled back the curtain on what actually goes on inside the heads of operators who can't switch off, and she walked me through five questions she coaches her clients to use that completely change the dynamic between you and your team.Then I let her coach me live on a belief I've carried around for years. I'll let you decide who came out on top.WHY YOU SHOULD LISTENFind out the three well-meaning beliefs that keep founders stuck in the weedsHear the five questions to ask when your team dumps a problem on your deskDiscover why your high performers are quietly planning their exitThe simple seven day tracking exercise that exposes the real damageWhy "no one can do it better than me" might actually be true (and what to do about it)If you've ever taken a laptop on holiday, answered Slack at 7am on a Sunday, or wondered why you can't seem to scale past yourself, this one's for you.Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics assessment here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.comEnjoyed today’s episode? Leave a review over on Apple or Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-business-strategist-with-adam-strong/id1518654325https://open.spotify.com/show/4vKVMmsZ4MwVooQOlEAzrdABOUT THE GUESTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethlotardoABOUT THE HOSTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrongWebsite: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

April 23, 2026Episode 3891 hr 8 min

Why Great Founders Make Terrible CEOs (And How To Fix It)

What if the habits that built my business are the exact ones holding it back?I sat down with John Spence, one of the world's leading voices on leadership and the former CEO of the Rockefeller Foundation, to find out why so many founders hit an invisible ceiling they can't punch through.We got into the four silent killers behind every stuck business, the uncomfortable truth about why most founders quietly become their own bottleneck, and the specific mindset shift that separates the ones who scale and exit from the ones who stay stuck for a decade.Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Book a brief call to see if the exit ready diagnostics session is for you. https://link.adamstrong.net/widget/bookings/strategy-121Enjoyed today’s episode? Leave a review over on Apple or Spotify.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Scaling Challenges06:30 Identifying Patterns in Business Plateauing09:56 Strategic Shifts for Founders11:32 Defining Professional Management13:34 Finding the Right Replacement17:27 Counterintuitive Mistakes of Founders20:06 Key Areas for Business Differentiation21:46 Psychological Blind Spots in Leadership25:11 Lessons from Early Leadership Experience28:05 The Importance of Emotional Intelligence28:38 Accountability in Leadership30:49 Mindset Shifts for Overcoming Plateaus36:03 Purpose-Driven Leadership37:36 The Impact of Leadership on Employee Lives39:44 Curiosity and Uncomfortable Questions in Leadership42:56 The Five-Step Framework for Business Excellence45:33 People First: The Core of Business Success48:34 Identifying and Addressing Performance Issues49:25 The Evolution of Leadership Frameworks51:47 A Live Coaching Session: Overcoming Frustrations01:02:52 Legacy and Leading with LoveABOUT THE GUESTWebsite: https://johnspence.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbspence/FB: https://www.facebook.com/johnspenceleadership/ Book: https://amzn.eu/d/cDzEDUyABOUT THE HOSTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrongWebsite: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

April 16, 2026Episode 38824 min

How I'd Build a One Person Business That Runs Without Me (If I Started Over)

8 years ago I packed up my life in the UK and moved to Sweden to start a family. I thought my business would run without me. It didn't. Everything fell apart and it forced me to confront something most founders never want to admit. In this episode I'm getting brutally honest about what actually happened, the mindset shifts that changed everything and the three things I'd do differently if I was starting from scratch tomorrow.In this episode I cover:Why moving countries destroyed the business I thought I'd builtThe two mindset shifts that finally got me unstuckWhat nobody in the industry warns you aboutThe one question that tells you exactly where your business stands right nowListen to this episode if:You're making every decision in your business and it's eating you aliveYou've ever wondered whether your business could survive without youYou want to know the difference between a one person business and a one person prisonI built a six figure business that looked great on paper but nearly broke me behind the scenes. This is the real story and the blueprint I wish someone had given me years ago.Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Book a brief call to see if the exit ready diagnostics session is for you. https://link.adamstrong.net/widget/bookings/strategy-121Enjoyed today’s episode? Leave a review over on Apple or Spotify. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-business-strategist-with-adam-strong/id1518654325https://open.spotify.com/show/4vKVMmsZ4MwVooQOlEAzrdABOUT THE HOSTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrongWebsite: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

April 9, 2026Episode 38717 min

The 5 Lies Business Owners Tell Themselves Before They Try to Sell

70% of her revenue was tied to one person. The buyer walked away.I sat across the table from a founder a few months ago. Seven-figure business, great team, 25 years of graft. Within 20 minutes of looking under the hood, I had to tell her the business was essentially worthless to a buyer. Not because the numbers were bad — because she was the business.When the buyer dug into due diligence, they discovered 75% of the revenue was tied to her personal relationships. The deal collapsed. And the worst part? She had no idea — because she'd been telling herself the same five lies I hear from almost every founder I work with.In this episode I break down all five, using real examples from my advisory work. I walk through the founder revenue test, the 90-day vanish test, and why your expertise might actually be your biggest liability when a buyer comes knocking.I also share why the founders who build truly sellable businesses always tell me the same thing afterwards — "I wish I'd done this five years ago." Not because they wanted to sell sooner, but because the business became so much better the moment they stopped being the bottleneck.If even one of these lies sounds familiar, you've got work to do before you go anywhere near an exit.Take my free Exit Readiness Assessment — it takes two minutes and shows you exactly where the gaps are: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.comEnjoyed today’s episode? Leave a review over on Apple or Spotify.https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-business-strategist-with-adam-strong/id1518654325https://open.spotify.com/show/4vKVMmsZ4MwVooQOlEAzrdABOUT THE HOSTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrongWebsite: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong