Lead Like a Founder, Build Like a Giant with Dave Durand

In this episode, Dave Durand shares how he scaled his business from $500K to millions — not by doing more, but by building smarter systems, delegating deeply, and respecting what others overlook. We talk about why leading independent contractors take the highest level of leadership, the secret behind building a world-class sales team (even if you hate sales), and the real reason print media wasn’t dead — it just needed the right mindset.

Dave also reveals the one question every founder should ask: What are you really building toward?

If you're a founder, leader, or builder — this episode will challenge how you think about growth, leadership, and legacy.

Key Topics:

-Building systems that scale with delegation and trust

-Leading independent contractors with high-level leadership skills

-Respecting sales without needing to love it

-Creating value by solving overlooked problems in dying industries

-Redefining success through purpose and eternal impact

Quote From The Episode:

"Leading independent contractors is the highest form of leadership skill."

- Dave Durand

Timestamp:

[00:23]: The 9-to-5 Safety Net Is a Lie: Why Risk Is the Real Career Security

[10:00] Why Great Entrepreneurs Obsess Over the Details—Then Let Go

[22:51] Why the Best CEOs Don’t Micromanage—And Still Win Big

[30:43]Why the Best Founders Build Culture, Not Control — And Scale Without Burning Out

[43:00] How Top CEOs Lead Without Micromanaging and Build Cultures That Actually Scale

[54:28] How to Build a High-Performing Company That Practically Runs Without You

[1:06:12] The CEO Blueprint: Culture, Delegation, and Building a Business That Runs Without You

[1:18:44] From Burnout to Billion-Dollar Breakthrough: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Scaling with Virtue, Vision, and Grit

[1:29:59] Build It Right or Burn Out: How to Scale, Let Go, and Lead With Eternal Purpose

[1:46:46] Outro

Connect with - Dave Durand:

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/davevdurand

Websites: bestversionmedia.com (Best Version Media)

facebook.com/durandleadershipgroup (Facebook)

davedurand.com (Durand Leadership Group)

Connect to Entrepreneurial-Excellence Podcast:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneurial-excellence-podcast

Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@EntrepreneurialExcellencePod

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@eepodcast24

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570329516959

Website - https://www.levy.company/entrepreneurial-excellence