Entrepreneur and business coach Dan Martell shares his powerful framework for scaling businesses without burning out. From a troubled youth who ended up in rehab to running a $100+ million empire, Dan reveals the systematic approach that allowed him to buy back his time and build the life he wanted.

Dan Martell is a serial entrepreneur, business coach, and author of "Buy Back Your Time." He runs one of the largest coaching organizations for software CEOs and acquires a software company every month. Despite running a $100+ million empire, he still travels 12 weeks a year with his family.

This episode features Dan Martell, who was a speaker at last year's 2 Day MBA event. You can register for this year's 2-day virtual event, "The Mindset Of the Entrepreneur," at https://mba.blueprintos.com

BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass when you visit www.blueprintos.com!

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we’re just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting and tax preparation to CFO services and innovative digital marketing, we’ve got you covered. Ready to experience the transformative power of Club Capital? Schedule your free demo today at club.capital and see the difference firsthand. Make sure you mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast to get 50% off your one time onboarding fee!

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions.

More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow. Here’s an exclusive offer for Above The Business listeners: Visit directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness for a FREE marketing campaign audit. They’ll assess your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provide actionable recommendations. Plus, when you choose to partner with them,...

Just like it's nearly impossible to push a rope across a gym floor, some business strategies feel forced and difficult when you should be "pulling the rope" instead. Business owners often don't realize when they're trying to push a rope in their business - forcing solutions that feel hard, risky, and resource-intensive.

Thinking Time:

1. Where am I trying to push a rope in my business?
2. What feels hard right now?
3. What am I frustrated about in the business?
4. What fires do I feel like I need to continually put out?

Ever just wish someone could hand you a Blueprint to follow for your business? Well, that’s what I’d like to give you. Our Blueprint to design, systemize, and grow a profitable $1M+ business that runs without you.

To get it, come to the Rainmaker to Architect WebClass. You can register at https://webclass.blueprintos.com

BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass when you visit www.blueprintos.com!

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we’re just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting and tax preparation to CFO services and innovative digital marketing, we’ve got you covered. Ready to experience the transformative power of Club Capital? Schedule your free demo today at club.capital and see the difference firsthand. Make sure you mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast to get 50% off your one time onboarding fee!

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions.

More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow. Here’s an exclusive offer for Above The Business listeners: Visit directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness for a FREE marketing campaign audit. They’ll assess your website,

In this compelling episode, host Bradley Hamner sits down with Mark Crowley, bestselling author of "Lead from the Heart" and the upcoming "The Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Engagement to Build Flourishing Teams." Mark shares his revolutionary approach to leadership, drawing from 25 years of successful business leadership and 15 years of cutting-edge research on what truly drives employee performance.

Mark C. Crowley is a pioneering leader and bestselling author leading a revolution in workplace leadership. With 25 years in the competitive financial services industry, he rose to national roles and was named Leader of the Year for his emotionally connected, heart-centered approach. His book "Lead from the Heart" (2011, second edition 2023) is now taught in eleven universities worldwide. His new book, "The Power of Employee Well-Being," will be released September 30, 2025.

• Website: markccrowley.com
• Book: "The Power of Employee Well-Being: Move Beyond Engagement to Build Flourishing Teams" Pre-order: https://markccrowley.com/the_power_of_employee_well-being/
• Previous Book: "Lead from the Heart" https://markccrowley.com/book-2/
• Podcast: "Lead from the Heart" (ranked in top 1.5% globally) Listen here: https://markccrowley.com/podcasts/

BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass when you visit www.blueprintos.com!

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we’re just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting and tax preparation to CFO services and innovative digital marketing, we’ve got you covered. Ready to experience the transformative power of Club Capital? Schedule your free demo today at club.capital and see the difference firsthand. Make sure you mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast to get 50% off your one time onboarding fee!

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions.

More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

"The business works because of you, but it doesn't work without you." - This is the Rainmaker's Dilemma.

This episode concludes a multi-part series exploring the journey from Rainmaker to Architect in business ownership. Bradley breaks down the fundamental definitions and characteristics that distinguish these two business operating styles, providing clarity on concepts that form the foundation of sustainable business growth.

Join us for The 2 Day MBA August 12th-13th, 2025 when you save your seat at https://mba.blueprintos.com

BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass when you visit www.blueprintos.com!

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we’re just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting and tax preparation to CFO services and innovative digital marketing, we’ve got you covered. Ready to experience the transformative power of Club Capital? Schedule your free demo today at club.capital and see the difference firsthand. Make sure you mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast to get 50% off your one time onboarding fee!

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions.

More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

Ever wonder why some people seem to effortlessly attract success while others struggle despite working just as hard?

In this interview, Bradley Hamner sat down with Weldon Long. Former prison inmate turned millionaire entrepreneur Weldon Long reveals the hidden prosperity system that transformed his life—and how you can use it too. In this powerful recast, discover the mental frameworks and daily practices that separate high achievers from everyone else.

You'll discover:

• The four-step success sequence that governs all achievement (thoughts → emotions → actions → results)
• How to engineer winning habits that compound over time
• The specific questions successful people ask themselves during daily reflection
• Why cognitive dissonance is your secret weapon for personal transformation
• How to harness laser focus and clear purpose to accelerate your results

Whether you're building a business, advancing your career, or just want to take control of your life, this episode gives you the exact blueprint Weldon used to go from rock bottom to the top.

Ready to align your entrepreneurial mindset? Join us for The 2 Day MBA on "The Mindset of the Entrepreneur" August 12th-13th 2025. Visit https://mba.blueprintos.com to register.

[This recast contains insights from our original conversation with Weldon Long, restructured to give you maximum value in minimum time.]

BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass when you visit www.blueprintos.com!

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we’re just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting and tax preparation to CFO services and innovative digital marketing, we’ve got you covered. Ready to experience the transformative power of Club Capital? Schedule your free demo today at club.capital and see the difference firsthand. Make sure you mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast to get 50% off your one time onboarding fee!

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions.

More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business...

Today on the podcast, Bradley introduces The Rainmaker's Dilemma: Your greatest strength as an entrepreneur can and often does become a debilitating weakness in the business.

Most entrepreneurs don't realize that what makes you successful early on (being the go-to person for everything) becomes the bottleneck that limits growth. When you're the thoroughfare for all business decisions and operations, you'll eventually run out of time

While this may have worked in the early years of your business, Bradley has found that what can bring you to $200K-$500K revenue becomes unsustainable at higher levels

The Scaling Challenge

Business owners often think they just need to do more of what got them there. This leads to working longer hours: evenings, weekends, early mornings. You transition from occasional Friday afternoon work to constant availability. The reality: as a small business owner, you will run out of time

The Solution Framework

• Vision-driven approach: Have a clear picture of your dream outcome, one-year objectives, and 90-day priorities
• Recognition moment: When your goals are big enough, you'll realize you can't achieve them alone
• Identity shift: Move from being the "Rainmaker" to becoming the "Architect"

What is a Rainmaker? Everything runs through you; you're essential to every decision and operation. When you become an Architect, you design the systems and blueprint; you build the business to run without you.

In the next episode, Bradley will define the specific differences between "Rainmaker" and "Architect" roles.

BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass when you visit www.blueprintos.com!

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we’re just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting and tax preparation to CFO services and innovative digital marketing, we’ve got you covered. Ready to experience the transformative power of Club Capital? Schedule your free demo today at club.capital and see the difference firsthand. Make sure you mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast to get 50% off your one time onboarding fee!

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any...

"Getting the systems and the processes in place actually creates space for the creativity because there's certain things in business that just need to happen."

In this episode of Above the Business, Bradley Hamner is sharing a fan favorite episode with David Jenyns, author of "Systemology." This episode serves as a perfect introduction to systems thinking, as Bradley prepares listeners for an upcoming episode featuring David's new book "Systems Champion." Listen for an in-depth discussion about building business systems that create freedom rather than constraint.

David shares his entrepreneurial journey from running various businesses including a rock and roll clothing franchise, video production company, and digital agency, to his breakthrough moment that led him to systemize his way out of day-to-day operations. The conversation addresses the common entrepreneurial paradox: starting a business for freedom but ending up trapped by it.

• Why entrepreneurs often resist systemization despite wanting freedom.
• The counterintuitive truth that systems create space for creativity, not stifle it.
• How David's video production business breakthrough showed him that processes. handle routine tasks, freeing up mental space for high-value creative work.

• Moving beyond the overwhelming "McDonald's manual" perception of systems.
• Starting simple with screen recordings, checklists, and basic documentation.
• Systems as iterative, living documents that evolve over time.
• The importance of seeing actual system examples to understand what's possible.

• Every business problem is fundamentally a systems problem.
• Lead generation issues = need better lead generation systems.
• Sales problems = need better sales systems.
• Cash flow issues = need better finance management systems.
• Staff problems = need better recruitment and onboarding systems.

• Practical first steps for solo entrepreneurs vs. teams with 5+ people.
• The power of Loom recordings stored in organized Google Drive folders.
• Capturing current processes before optimizing (not aspirational systems).
• Applying the 80/20 rule to focus on essential systems first.

• Why successful businesses identify a dedicated systems champion.
• The systems champion as the "department head" for processes.
• How this person celebrates wins, supports team members, and keeps systems front-and-center.
• The business owner's role in leading and supporting (not abdicating responsibility).

• Understanding systems as business assets that generate value without owner presence.
• The transition from working in the business to working on the business.
• Why business owners must invest time and resources upfront to build systematic foundations.

David Jenyns is based in Melbourne, Australia, and is the author of "Systemology." He helps business owners systematize their operations to create freedom and scalability. David has experience across multiple industries and is currently working on his upcoming book "Systems Champion," which focuses on the person who actually implements and drives systematic business documentation.

Bradley Hamner hosts Above The Business, empowering business owners to rise above daily operations and embrace strategic ownership. The show

Bradley defines the key terms "Rainmaker" and "Architect" after realizing he'd been using this language without clearly explaining what these roles mean. This solo episode wraps up his longest podcast series on the Rainmaker to Architect journey.

THE RAINMAKER:

• Everything runs through you - you're the bottleneck.
• Usually the top performer but also the biggest limitation.
• All decisions need your approval.
• Constantly firefighting (but you're better at starting fires than putting them out).
• Essential to daily operations - business fails without you.
• Involved in every aspect: sales, operations, customer service, marketing.
• Can hit $500K-$750K, maybe $1M, then you hit a wall.

The Octopus Analogy (from Marquez Brownlee):

"I was like a genius octopus with a thousand hands" - you need to systematically cut off arms one at a time:

• Customer service
• Fulfillment
• Lead handling
• Marketing functions
• Administrative tasks
• Payroll

THE ARCHITECT:

• Uses blueprints and systematic design thinking
• Asks "How can I be effective?" not "How can I do more?"
• Works above the business, not in daily operations
• Proactive rather than reactive
• Designs systems then designs themselves out of them
• Freedom and flexibility focused
• Has operating systems and blueprints in place

KEY COMPARISONS:

Rainmaker = Reactive, Essential, Bottleneck, Wings everything.

Architect = Proactive, System designer, Blueprint creator, Freedom-focused.

ACTION STEPS:

1. Acknowledge if you're the bottleneck.
2. Start systematically removing yourself from operations.
3. Document systems even when it feels like you should be doing other things.
4. Shift from "How can I do more?" to "How can I design this?"
5. Build blueprints, not just hustle harder.

RESOURCES:

blueprintos.com/blueprint - Discover Blueprint and resources for business owners.

This concludes Bradley's longest podcast series. Next episodes return to solo format before launching new series content.

BlueprintOS equips business owners to design and install an operating system that runs like clockwork. Through BlueprintOS, you will grow and develop your leadership, clarify your culture and business game plan, align your operations with your KPIs, develop a team of A-Players, and execute your playbooks. Register to join us at an upcoming WebClass when you visit www.blueprintos.com!

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Club Capital is the ultimate partner for financial management and marketing services, designed specifically for insurance agencies, fitness franchises, and youth soccer organizations. As the nation's largest accounting and financial advisory firm for insurance agencies, Club Capital proudly serves over 1,000 agency locations across the country—and we’re just getting started. With Club Capital, you get more than just services; you get a dedicated account manager backed by a team of specialists committed to your success. From monthly accounting and tax preparation to CFO services and innovative digital marketing, we’ve got you covered. Ready to experience the transformative power of Club Capital? Schedule your free demo today at club.capital and see the difference firsthand. Make sure you mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast to get 50% off your one time onboarding...