In this insightful podcast episode of Ninestone Stack to Scale, hosts Alex Polamero, Chief Growth Officer at Ninestone Partners, and Dr. Tom Tonkin, CEO of Ninestone Partners, engage with guests Brandon Moon and Rafael Pinho from TD Pine Advisors to explore the complexities of exit planning and business transferability. The conversation examines how businesses can prepare for transitions such as sales, succession, or management buyouts, and why proactive planning is essential long before an exit is on the table.

The discussion highlights several critical challenges that can significantly impact business value, including owner dependency and the absence of a strong management team. The guests emphasize that continuity planning plays a vital role in protecting enterprise value, ensuring the business can operate smoothly through unexpected changes. Strategic planning emerges as a central theme, reinforcing that true transferability goes beyond simply selling a business—it's about building a company that can thrive independently of its founder.

Throughout the episode, personal experiences and professional insights underscore the human side of exit planning. From preparing employees for transition to addressing valuation surprises that often reveal opportunities for improvement, the conversation stresses that successful exits are as much about people as they are about numbers. Ultimately, the episode reinforces a key message: the best time to begin exit planning is when the business is healthy, stable, and positioned for growth.

Topics Included:

• Why Exit Planning Is Really About Business Longevity

• The Hidden Cost of Owner Dependency — and How to Remove It

• Building a Management Team That Can Run the Business Without You

• Business Continuity Planning: Protecting Value When the Unexpected Happens

• Strategic Planning as the Foundation of a Successful Exit

• Exit Planning Beyond the Sale: What Transferability Really Means

• The Human Side of Exits: Managing People Through Business Transitions

• Valuation Surprises: What They Reveal — and How They Can Improve Your Business

• Preparing Your Team for Change Without Creating Fear or Uncertainty

• Why the Best Time to Plan Your Exit Is When Your Business Is Thriving

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In this episode of Ninestone: Stacked to Scale, Alex Polamero (Chief Growth Officer, Ninestone Partners) and Dr. Tom Tonkin (CEO, Ninestone Partners) sat down with Steve Wallace, the founder of Wallace Business Consulting, to uncover what it really takes to build a scalable sales team. Steve starts with a key insight: don't hire a sales rep until you've nailed your own sales process. Too many business owners expect new hires to create systems that don't exist, and Steve explains why that approach sets teams up for failure.

Drawing on his experience in insurance and sales leadership, Steve shares how studying what didn't work shaped his proven sales framework. He dives into aligning sales strategies with personality types, mastering cold calling, and transforming rejection into trust-building opportunities that generate referrals.

The conversation also explores accountability, clear goal-setting, and why ambiguous KPIs often do more harm than good. Whether you're a founder or entrepreneur, this episode offers practical steps to refine your process and scale with confidence.

Topics Include:

• Why Process Precedes People in Effective Sales Scaling
• How to Adapt Your Sales Methods to Your Personality Type
• The Role of Trust and Accountability in Long-Term Client Relationships
• The Danger of Ambiguous KPIs and How to Set Meaningful, Motivating Goals
• Why Governance and Mentorship Matter More Than Early Hires

Connect with Steve and Wallace Business Consulting

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Email: Steve@B2BRev.co

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Produced By: Social Chameleon

In this episode of Ninestone: Stacked to Scale, Alex Polamero (Chief Growth Officer, Ninestone Partners) and Dr. Tom Tonkin (CEO, Ninestone Partners) dive into the puzzling Q4 phenomenon where businesses delay actions and initiatives until the start of the new year. They explore the negative impacts of waiting, such as decision fatigue and artificial delays, and show how these practices lead to competitors gaining a significant head start.

Using real-world examples, including gym membership trends and delayed sales initiatives, Alex and Tom illustrate how postponement can stifle business growth. They emphasize the importance of limiting choices to make timely decisions, handling common objections efficiently, and taking immediate action.

By sharing insights and strategies, Alex and Tom aim to help businesses overcome the common tendency to wait, thus scaling smarter and faster. They also highlight how Ninestone Partners supports businesses in navigating these challenges.

Topics Include:

• The Seasonality of Sales Decisions
• Exploring Decision Fatigue and Its Impact
• Unpacking the Psychology of Waiting
• Limiting Choices for Better Decisions
• The Importance of Taking Action Now

Connect with Ninestone Partners:

Website

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Produced By: Social Chameleon