Why Every CEO Must Empower Their Team to Unlock Hidden Growth Potential

Are you fully tapping your company's growth potential, or are hidden gaps in talent, culture, and client strategy quietly holding you back?

If you're leading a services-based business, or any company where people are the product, you know how hard it is to scale without burning out your team or losing your edge. This episode hits right at that tension: how to grow sustainably when hiring is tough, AI is reshaping roles, and your culture has to do more than just sound good; it has to work. You'll hear how a CEO is navigating these exact challenges in real time, so you can pressure-test your own approach.

Here's what you'll walk away with:

• A clearer way to think about sustainable growth by focusing on clients as long-term partners—not just one-off revenue

• Practical insight into retaining top talent and building a culture people actually want to stay in

• A grounded perspective on how AI should augment your team without undermining your future workforce

Press play now to uncover a smarter, people-first approach to scaling your business—and start unlocking your true growth potential today.

Check out:

• [00:03:00] Employee ownership & culture as a growth driver
  Why putting employees first—and giving them ownership—directly fuels retention, engagement, and long-term growth potential.

• [00:11:00] AI's real impact on productivity and hiring
  A practical breakdown of how AI is reducing task time (hours → minutes) and what that means for staffing, efficiency, and future roles.

• [00:16:00] Managing utilization in an employee-owned firm
  A candid look at how to balance profitability, transparency, and team buy-in when your people are also your shareholders.

About Carrie Stokes

Carrie Stokes, PE, is the Chief Executive Officer and President of Barge Design Solutions. With nearly three decades of leadership experience, she is committed to fostering collaboration, innovation, and growth that empowers employees, strengthens client relationships, and enhances communities.

Stokes began her career at Barge as a student intern and steadily advanced through key leadership roles, including serving as the firm's inaugural Chief of Staff. She has led Barge's largest division, played a key role in shaping its five-year strategic growth plan, and has served as a member of the board of directors since 2015. In 2025, she was appointed CEO, becoming the first woman to lead the company in its 70-year history. As CEO, she is focused on strengthening enterprise systems, expanding leadership development, fostering innovation, and enhancing the company's employee-owned culture.