How do you lead your business when everything falls apart? In this episode of Build Your Business, Matt and Chris Reynolds share exactly how to handle business crisis—from late-night tech meltdowns and legal threats to complete operational shutdowns.

They dive into real-world examples of how founders can stay calm, lead with confidence, and rally their team when panic sets in. Whether you're facing a crash, lawsuit, or high-stakes customer emergency, this episode gives you a proven playbook for leading under pressure.

• How to handle business crisis without panic

• What “wartime CEO mode” looks like in real life

• How to build and lead a war room team

• Why staying calm is your most powerful leadership tool

• How to recover after a business emergency—and build team loyalty

0:00 – Intro: When Crap Hits the Fan in Business 1:04 – Real Business Emergencies We've Faced 2:04 – Leading Through Chaos Without Panic 4:55 – The Role of a Wartime CEO 7:32 – Business Meltdowns and Real-World Stories 13:01 – Turning Crisis Into Opportunity 14:28 – Avoiding Panic and Rallying Your Team 21:25 – How to Build a War Room 24:49 – Leadership Lessons from the Crisis 33:15 – What to Prioritize During Emergencies 36:03 – Emotional Leadership: Staying Calm Under Fire 42:56 – Course-Correcting During Chaos 44:53 – Celebrating Wins After Crisis Mode 49:19 – Postmortems, SOPs, and Lessons Learned 57:11 – Getting Back to Normal and Leading the Team 58:44 – Closing Thoughts & What’s Next

#HowToHandleBusinessCrisis #WartimeCEO #BusinessLeadership #Entrepreneurship #FounderLife #BusinessPodcast #CrisisManagement #StartupTips #BuildYourBusiness

PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/

If your business feels like it’s running you—rather than the other way around—this episode is your roadmap out of chaos. Matt and Chris Reynolds break down why systems and SOPs (standard operating procedures) are the foundation of any successful, scalable business. You’ll learn how to start with simple wins, avoid common delegation mistakes, and build living systems that adapt and grow with your company. Whether you’re a solo founder or leading a growing team, this episode gives you practical tools and mindset shifts to build a business that runs without you—without sacrificing quality or culture.

• Why systems and SOPs are essential for sustainable growth

• How to delegate without losing quality or control

• The biggest mistakes founders make when building processes

• Why you should never automate before you validate

• How to reclaim your time using the “profit first for founders” approach

• 0:00 – Introduction: Chaos, SOPs & Super Bowl weekend

• 1:20 – Strategy vs. Execution: From game plan to playbook

• 2:45 – What’s a system? IKEA manuals, recipes & checklists

• 5:00 – Founder fallacies: “No one can do it better than me”

• 9:00 – Essential books: E-Myth, Buy Back Your Time, High Output Management

• 13:00 – Start with the easiest wins

• 17:00 – Mapping the client lifecycle

• 25:00 – 3 company goals for 2025

• 31:00 – Manual first, automation later

• 37:00 – Building great executive teams

• 42:00 – Loom videos, AI transcripts & empowering team ownership

• 46:00 – Wrapping up: SOPs as a path to freedom

#BuildYourBusiness #BusinessSystems #SOPs #Entrepreneurship #ProfitFirst #FounderTips #BusinessGrowth #BuyBackYourTime #SmallBusinessSuccess

PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/

Discover how to apply Profit First for Founders and finally gain control over your business finances. In this episode of the Build Your Business Podcast, Matt and Chris Reynolds walk you through the exact strategies they’ve used to move from cash burn to consistent profit—including financial dashboards, lean budgeting, and tactical cost-cutting.

Whether you’re bootstrapping or scaling, this episode gives you an actionable framework to take the stress out of money management and create a business that pays you first. You’ll learn how to reduce fat, stop overspending, and grow your business profitably—starting today.

• Why traditional accounting sets founders up for failure

• How to implement the Profit First for Founders system

• The power of sub-accounts and percentage-based allocations

• Tactics to cut expenses without hurting your business

• What to do if your business is already in a cash burn

• How to create calm and clarity with weekly financial check-ins

00:00 – Intro & Christmas Reflections 01:03 – Bootstrapping Recap & 2025 Budgeting 01:52 – Why You Must Know Your Numbers 03:09 – Dashboards and Decision-Making 06:04 – Business Accounting 101: Revenue to Net Profit 10:03 – Gross Margin Red Flags and How to Spot Them 12:00 – Why Traditional Accounting Fails Founders 14:49 – Profit First for Founders: Overview and Setup 17:14 – Bank Accounts, Sub-Accounts, and Cash Flow 25:35 – Increasing Profit Percentages Over Time 32:05 – How to Get Lean Without Sacrificing Quality 34:00 – Cost-Cutting Tactics: COGS, Payroll, Opex 40:49 – Negotiating Costs (Without Burning Relationships) 45:32 – The Power of Opex Control 48:10 – Home Office Deductions and Separation of Finances 52:19 – Working from Home and Tax Advantages 54:04 – Using Contractors vs Employees 56:02 – Horror Story: DIY Taxes Gone Wrong 56:49 – Using QuickBooks and Weekly Reviews 59:59 – From Burn to Profit: How They Cut $750K 1:03:00 – Why Profit First Gives You Options 1:04:48 – Ending the Year Strong with Financial Clarity 1:06:14 – The Power of Taking Action Now

#ProfitFirstForFounders #BusinessFinance #SmallBusinessTips #Entrepreneurship #StartupFinance #GetLean #ProfitFirst #FinancialFreedom #FounderTips

PS - Coach Smarter, Earn More: https://bit.ly/3X4ixOX Matt's Links Website: https://ryanmattreynolds.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reynoldsstrong/?hl=en Chris's Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismreynolds/