In this episode, Bradley Hamner sits down with Megan Reitz, researcher, speaker, and author focused on dialogue in organizations. Megan shares insights from years of studying why people speak up, why they stay silent, and how leaders influence both through the way they show up.

They explore how leadership presence affects team communication, why most leaders overestimate their listening skills, and how everyday signals can either invite ideas or shut them down. Megan also explains how habits, attention, and curiosity shape whether meaningful conversations actually happen inside organizations.

This conversation looks at what prevents honest dialogue and how leaders can create space for it. How do you encourage feedback without intimidating your team? What signals are you sending in meetings? And how do you address the “elephant in the room” before silence turns into resentment?

If you want to improve how your team communicates, invite better feedback, and create an environment where people feel safe to speak up, this conversation is for you.

Visit https://workshop.blueprintos.com to register for the upcoming Above The Business workshop.

Learn more about Megan Reitz: https://www.meganreitz.com

Connect with Megan Reitz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganreitz/

Check out her latest book – Speak Out, Listen Up: https://a.co/d/090esprL

Thanks to our sponsors

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:

https://www.coachpconsulting.com

Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day, optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities.

https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com

Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.

Direct Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.

Exclusive offer for listeners:

https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness

Get a free marketing campaign audit and actionable recommendations.

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale.

Many people start a business because they want freedom and flexibility. The ability to decide what to work on, when to work on it, and who to work with is a powerful motivator for entrepreneurs.

In this solo episode, Bradley Hamner explores a tension many small business owners experience as their company begins to grow. The same people who started a business to avoid being told what to do often find themselves responsible for building structure, systems, and processes inside the organization.

Bradley explains why this tension becomes especially noticeable in the $300K to $1M stage of business growth. At this point, the business owner is no longer just selling and producing results. The team is growing, expectations increase, and the business begins asking for clarity, consistency, and routine.

This episode offers a mindset shift for business owners who feel caught between the desire for freedom and the responsibility to build structure. The discipline to create systems and processes is not what limits freedom. It is what eventually makes it possible.

Visit blueprintos.com/assets to register for the upcoming Above The Business Quarterly and access the Above The Business Toolkit.

https://blueprintos.com/assets

Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell

https://www.amazon.com/Buy-Back-Your-Time-Unstuck/dp/059342297X

The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber

https://www.amazon.com/E-Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-About/dp/0887307280

Traction by Gino Wickman

https://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:

https://coachpconsulting.com

Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source candidates through social media and local communities.

With their continuous recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying hiring fees or commissions.

https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com

Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.

Direct Clicks specializes in digital marketing solutions designed for business owners who want measurable results. Their team supports companies through paid advertising, SEO, and strategic marketing systems that help generate consistent leads.

Exclusive offer for listeners:

https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness

Get a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, SEO, content, social media, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.

In this episode, Bradley sits down with Amy Sandler, principal coach at Radical Candor, podcast host, and former chief marketing officer. The conversation explores how emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and communication shape leadership, especially for business owners who are trying to lead well under pressure.

They discuss why feedback can feel threatening, why leaders often get defensive in the moment, and how asking for feedback can build trust before giving it. Amy also explains how mindfulness, curiosity, and emotional regulation help leaders show up more effectively in conversations with their teams.

This conversation moves beyond communication techniques and into the awareness behind them. What does it mean to challenge directly without shutting people down? How can leaders create safety while still being clear? And how do you build a culture where feedback becomes part of growth instead of something people avoid?

If you care about leading with more clarity, giving better feedback, and building a healthier culture inside your business, this conversation is for you.

Visit blueprintos.com/assets to register for the upcoming Above The Business Quarterly.

https://blueprintos.com/assets

Learn more about Radical Candor here: https://www.radicalcandor.com/

Join the Radical Candor community: https://community.radicalcandor.com/

Connect with Amy Sandler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amysandler/

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:

https://www.coachpconsulting.com

Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. Optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. Save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying traditional hiring fees or commissions.

https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com

Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.

Direct Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.

Exclusive offer for listeners:

https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness

Get a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.

In this solo episode, Bradley Hamner explores a powerful idea he first encountered in The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham: the Bathrobe Theory of Business. The concept is simple. One size does not fit all. What works for one business may not work for another, especially when companies are operating at different stages of growth.

Bradley breaks down the four stages he commonly sees in small business growth, from startup through acceleration, and explains why the blueprint for running a business must evolve at each stage. The role of the owner, the structure of the team, and the systems that support the company all change as revenue grows.

He also shares a real example from a conversation with a $100M exterior remodeling company and explains how smaller businesses can learn from much larger organizations without trying to copy their strategies directly.

This episode is a reminder that the goal is not to replicate another company’s playbook. The goal is to extract the principles that apply to your stage of business and build a blueprint that fits your own organization.

Visit blueprintos.com/assets to register for the upcoming Above The Business Quarterly.

https://blueprintos.com/assets

The Road Less Stupid by Keith Cunningham

https://a.co/d/0dP23yXZ

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:

https://coachpconsulting.com

Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.

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 business day. They optimize your applicant tracking system, post job listings, and source 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 without paying hiring fees or commissions.

https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com

Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.

Direct Clicks is built by business owners for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, their team provides comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.

Exclusive offer for listeners:

https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness

Get a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.

In this episode of Above The Business, Bradley Hamner reflects on a simple question he learned from mentor Sean Block that continues to influence how he approaches business and leadership.

Bradley explains how two questions, “What matters?” and “What are you going to do about it?”, can guide strategic planning at every level of a company. Whether thinking about a three-year vision, annual objectives, or the next 90 days, these questions help business owners focus on the actions that move the organization forward.

The episode also highlights the importance of surrounding yourself with other business owners who are committed to growth. With the right environment, leaders can reflect on past results, clarify their priorities, and create alignment for the next stage of their business.

Visit blueprintos.com/assets to register for the upcoming Above The Business Quarterly.

Coach P Consulting

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:

https://www.coachpconsulting.com

Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.

Autopilot Recruiting

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. Optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. Save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying traditional hiring fees or commissions.

https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com

Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.

Direct Clicks

Direct Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.

Exclusive offer for listeners:

https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness

Get a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that allow the business to scale.

In this episode, Bradley sits down with Dr. Matt Paden, founder of Great Days Leadership and former executive vice president at Lipscomb University. The conversation explores how leadership development actually happens inside organizations and why self-awareness plays a central role for business owners.

They discuss the difference between leadership knowledge and leadership wisdom, and why leaders benefit from reflection, feedback, and strong leadership models. The conversation focuses on how entrepreneurs can turn leadership ideas into habits that influence culture, decision making, and team development.

This conversation moves beyond leadership techniques and into the mindset behind them. What does it mean to lead with self-awareness? How does a business owner create a culture where honest feedback is welcomed? And how can leaders continue growing even when they are the ones at the top?

If you care about becoming a better leader while building a stronger organization around you, this conversation is for you.

Visit blueprintos.com/assets to register for the upcoming Above The Business Quarterly.

Pre-order Dr. Paden’s new book, The Core: Eight Principles for Building Strong, Authentic Leadership here: https://greatdaysleadership.com/the-core/

Learn more about Great Days Leadership: https://greatdaysleadership.com/

Check out the referenced book by Kim Scott, Radical Candor: https://www.amazon.com/Radical-Candor-Kick-Ass-Without-Humanity/dp/1250103509

Thanks to our sponsors

Coach P Consulting

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at:

https://www.coachpconsulting.com

Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.

Autopilot Recruiting

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every business day. Optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. Save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates without paying traditional hiring fees or commissions.

https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com

Mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.

Direct Clicks

Direct Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that drive real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide comprehensive digital marketing support to help your business grow.

Exclusive offer for listeners:

https://directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness

Get a free marketing campaign audit where their team reviews your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provides actionable recommendations. If you partner with them, all setup fees will be waived.

About Above The Business

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.

In this Friday solo episode, Bradley Hamner explores a powerful concept from the book The Gap and The Gain and how it applies to small business owners who constantly feel like success is always just out of reach. As goals get closer, the horizon seems to move. What once felt like progress suddenly feels like it’s not enough.

Bradley explains how this mindset shows up in business and why many entrepreneurs unintentionally “move the goalposts” on themselves. Instead of recognizing real progress, they focus only on what still hasn’t been achieved.

He shares a practical way to break that cycle by creating intentional moments to look back at progress. From weekly reflection to quarterly planning and annual review, Bradley explains how leaders can measure the gain without letting the target constantly shift.

If you’ve ever felt like your success keeps moving further away the closer you get, this episode will give you a better framework to measure progress and lead with clarity.

Visit blueprintos.com/assets to register for the upcoming Above The Business Quarterly.

Thanks to our sponsors

Coach P Consulting

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner, leading a large and stable team of top-performing professionals. Today, he shares the systems, delegation strategies, and specialization methods he developed through weekly training calls and mentoring. Be sure to mention you heard about it on the Above The Business Podcast.

Direct Clicks

Direct Clicks is built by business owners, for business owners, offering custom marketing solutions including paid search, SEO, and social media management to drive real results. Take advantage of their exclusive listener offer: a free marketing campaign audit with actionable recommendations, and if you partner with them, all setup fees are waived.

Autopilot Recruiting

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve staffing challenges by handling hiring for you, from optimizing your applicant tracking system to posting jobs and sourcing candidates daily. Save time and reduce hiring costs while receiving pre-screened candidates, and mention Above The Business Podcast when you reach out.

Watch the full episode on YouTube: Link

About Above The Business

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect by building systems, teams, and operations that scale without their constant involvement.