The Third Growth Option with Benno Duenkelsbuehler and Guests

Hosted by Benno Duenkelsbuehler

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Episodes

184

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Welcome to The Third Growth Option, where we're not just talking about growth—we're making it our mission. At TGO, we understand that success isn't a fixed destination; it's an ongoing journey with twists, turns, and unexpected detours that take us to new places. Those moments are our Third Growth Options, where we throw away binary choices to create our own path. Hosted by Benno Duenkelsbuehler, O.G #GrowthNerd, we're on a mission to redefine success inside and outside of business, one episode at a time. From humble beginnings to Fortune 500 companies, our stories are not just about business—it's about the relentless pursuit of greatness in every aspect of life. With each episode, we don’t just want to share insights—we want to empower business owners across all frontiers to carve their own path to success, their way. Want to learn more? Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realignexpansionsherpas/ Follow Benno on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/benno1/ or Checkout https://realignforresults.com/

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 4, 2026Episode 155 min

How Thinking Too Small is Stalling Your Growth (And How a Summit Vision Fixes It)

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? A $6 million company. Strong retention. Loyal accounts. And a team convinced they’d already hit the ceiling on their best customers.They hadn’t. They’d just never looked up.In this episode, Benno pushes back on conservative strategy and makes the case for a Summit Vision bold enough to actually change how you lead. He walks through the real story of how that same $6M company built an execution system, pursued the right whale customers, and scaled to $32M — not by working harder inside the same frame, but by describing a bigger view and letting that clarity drive every decision.When you can see the summit, the targets change. The decisions change. The trajectory changes.What summit are you chasing? Drop it in the comments.🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on business growth, strategy, and decision-making for mid-size company owners and executives.📲 Share this with a leader who’s stuck in small thinking.⭐ Leave a review — it helps more builders find the show.Always growing.Benno Duenkelsbuehler CEO & Chief Sherpa of (re)ALIGN reALIGNforResults.combenno@realignforresults.com

May 21, 2026Episode 145 min

When Your Category Is Declining, This Is the Move Most Leaders Miss

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? If you're staring at a shrinking product line or a flattening category and wondering why the old playbook isn't working — this episode is for you. The uncomfortable truth: the wrong question is "How do we bring it back?" The better question is "What should we become next?"Benno walks through two real-world examples that make this concrete:🪑 Pottery Barn: A legendary dining chair is past its peak. Everyone wants a replacement inside the same category. Instead of chasing a forced sequel, Benno pitches a coffee table — one that fits retail merchandising, serves the brand DNA, and opens a gateway to console tables, side tables, and upholstery. A smart lateral move beats a heroic repair every time.💡 A lighting company boxed in by a flat, declining category debates selling furniture — and runs straight into the usual objections: new factories, new sourcing, new sales training, new product nuances. We break down how a clear go-to-market roadmap turns those objections into solvable steps, and how repositioning from "lighting brand" to "home decor company" unlocks a much bigger market.Growth rarely comes from doubling down on what's declining. It comes from seeing what's adjacent — and having the clarity to move there.What's the best adjacent move you're considering right now? Drop it in the comments.🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on business growth, strategy, and decision-making for mid-size company owners and executives. 📲 Share this with a leader who's stuck in "fix it" mode. ⭐ Leave a review — it helps more builders find the show.Always growing.Benno Duenkelsbuehler CEO & Chief Sherpa of (re)ALIGN reALIGNforResults.combenno@realignforresults.com

April 30, 2026Episode 135 min

Why “Best Practice” Is the Wrong Answer for Growing Your Business

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? The safest answer is often the one that quietly shrinks your options.When I was 16, leaving Germany to join my family in the United States, I dug up a small seedling from a beloved backyard tree the night before my flight. I packed it carefully — a gift for my mom, something living to plant in our new life. Mid-flight, the customs declaration asked the question that forces a choice: are you bringing a live plant?The conventional move is to avoid trouble. The better move is to think, be honest, and accept the risk. What happened next is a funny border moment — but it carries a serious lesson about judgment that I’ve never forgotten.What this means for founders, CEOs, and operators making real decisions under uncertainty:→ “Best practice” becomes a trap when you’re trying to grow→ Expanding into a new category, channel, or go-to-market process actually requires you to think creatively → Stop outsourcing your thinking and start trusting your instinctThe loudest advice can sound logical and still be completely wrong for your business, your timing, and your customer.What “obvious” rule are you ready to question?🔔 Subscribe for bi-weekly episodes on business growth, leadership, and decision-making for mid-size company owners and executives.📲 Share this with a founder or operator who needs it.⭐ Leave a quick review — it helps more builders find the show.#BusinessGrowth #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #DecisionMaking #CEO #Founders #BusinessStrategy #Podcast #ThirdGrowthOption #ScalingAlways growing.Benno Duenkelsbuehler CEO & Chief Sherpa of (re)ALIGN reALIGNforResults.combenno@realignforresults.com

December 18, 2025Episode 125 min

The Chef and the Waiter Framework for Growth

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Growth can stall even when the product is loved, pricing is right, and teams deliver on time. The blocker is mixing pre-sale and post-sale decisions in the same conversation. Our Sherpas use a simple pattern to untangle it: The Chef and the Waiter Framework.Dining room = pre-salePositioning, messaging, pricing, sales assets.Kitchen = post-saleManufacturing, logistics, inventory, fulfillment.In one factory case, a small design upgrade unlocked a larger market at a higher price. Fear around costs and delays froze progress. By running pre-sale testing and post-sale capacity planning in parallel, momentum returned.The target was $10M in new revenue over three years. The result: $14M delivered, compounding into $100M+. Not luck—clear roles, fast feedback, and simultaneous execution.If your revenue needle won’t move, audit your process. Split pre-sale and post-sale work. Stop mixing meetings. Clarity accelerates the climb.Always growing.Benno Duenkelsbuehler CEO & Chief Sherpa of (re)ALIGN reALIGNforResults.combenno@realignforresults.com

November 20, 2025Episode 114 min

Cowboys vs. Bureaucrats

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Ever feel stuck between chaotic speed and suffocating process? This episode opens the conversation on finding the middle ground—what we call structured entrepreneurship.We get into:Why cowboy chaos and heavy bureaucracy both stall growth.The tension between “move fast” and “follow the process.”How a bit of structure actually creates space for creativity and real opportunities.If you’re trying to grow without losing momentum—or sanity—this one gives you language and perspective to rethink how your team works.What’s one place where you feel the chaos/process tug-of-war right now?Always growing.Benno Duenkelsbuehler CEO & Chief Sherpa of (re)ALIGN reALIGNforResults.combenno@realignforresults.com

November 6, 2025Episode 103 min

Persistence & Tenacity

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Growth looks clean on charts—but anyone who’s built something real knows it’s messy.This week we’re opening a conversation about what actually drives long-term success: persistence and tenacity.Not the flashy kind. The quiet kind that shows up when the plan breaks, the path gets rough, and quitting would be easier.What makes persistence possible for you or your team when momentum fades?Always growing.Benno Duenkelsbuehler CEO & Chief Sherpa of (re)ALIGN reALIGNforResults.combenno@realignforresults.com

October 23, 2025Episode 95 min

Strategic Planning - Not Just "a thing", but 2 Things.

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? We unpack why strategic planning fails, when leaders confuse the destination with the plan — and how a bold North Star fuels execution.Key Takeaways:AVOID thinking too small (seeing goals as “Finish Lines”)INSTEAD, think bigger: set goals as your “North Star”. SUMMIT VISION – from 3 lenses (marketing, ops, finance)TRANSFORMATIVE PERSPECTIVE from the peak“Attainable” goals provide short-term reward, but don’t inspire much BHAG thinking (combined with well-sequenced quick wins) creates real momentum Commit to one system of executing the plan: EOS, OKRs, OGSM, our 1-2-3 Growth Process, etc. THE ULTIMATE TRAP: the crime of low aimAlways growing.Benno Duenkelsbuehler CEO & Chief Sherpa of (re)ALIGN reALIGNforResults.combenno@realignforresults.com

October 9, 2025Episode 84 min

Radical Candor and Visibility

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? We explore two tools that make growth faster and cleaner: visibility and radical candor. Together, they align teams, shorten loops, and turn feedback into progress.• Use shared KPIs and reports to improve alignment • Balance leading and lagging indicators • Reduce silos through open work • Pair clear expectations with direct feedback • Combine data and candor to speed decisionsHave thoughts on this topic? Share them—we may feature them in a future Toolbox episode.Always growing.Benno Duenkelsbuehler CEO & Chief Sherpa of (re)ALIGN reALIGNforResults.combenno@realignforresults.com

September 25, 2025Episode 74 min

Discovering Your Growth DNA

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Growth requires understanding your personal and organizational DNA, which helps navigate the exciting yet uncertain journey of development.Growth DNA = the overlap of what you’re great at, what you love, and what drives economic resultsHedgehog Concept (Jim Collins): three circles that reveal your true “sweet spot”Love - Can - Need Framework: passion + capabilities + market demandUnderstanding and articulating your unique Growth DNA might be the key that unlocks your fullest potential. Share your thoughts and ideas about growth DNA in the comments section.Always growing.Benno Duenkelsbuehler CEO & Chief Sherpa of (re)ALIGN reALIGNforResults.combenno@realignforresults.com

September 11, 2025Episode 65 min

Product Design & Product Management - Building Blocks

Are you looking for a Third Growth Option ℠ ? Inspired by Cincinnati’s historic Findlay Market, I pulled together three simple but powerful tools that help any leader (not just product managers) contribute to product strategy. These frameworks create a shared language that makes cross-functional collaboration easier across sales, finance, ops, and product.• Two-by-Two Matrix → Map your assortment across basic vs. seasonal and core vs. fashion to see risk distribution at a glance • Product Development Calendars → Gantt-style visuals show overlapping processes so bottlenecks don’t sneak up on you • Scatter Graphs → Plot products to spot market gaps, competitive positions, and balance in your portfolioWhen leaders have the right visual frameworks, silos break down, conversations flow, and assortment decisions become smarter.Always growing.Benno Duenkelsbuehler CEO & Chief Sherpa of (re)ALIGN reALIGNforResults.combenno@realignforresults.com