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There’s a moment every scaled founder hits where effort stops producing leverage. Revenue is real. The team is capable. But progress feels heavier than it should, and decisions take longer, cost more, and drain energy faster than before.

In this episode, I sit down with Alexis Sikorsky, a strategic advisor to founders who are serious about scaling fast and exiting strong. Alexis isn’t sharing theory. He built, scaled, and sold a Switzerland-based software company in a nine-figure private equity exit, then stayed in the game long enough to see exactly what founders misunderstand about timing, systems, and value creation.

We talk candidly about why founders delay a Private Equity Exit by years: not because they lack ambition, but because exhaustion, missing numbers, and underpowered leadership structures quietly cap momentum. Alexis breaks down the mistakes that cost him five years and $50 million, what private equity actually looks for, and how founders can shift from running hard to engineering optionality.

If you’re scaling a digital agency past 7 figures and thinking about sustainability, leverage, automation in leadership, or what an exit really requires, this conversation will sharpen how you see your business and your next move.

Books Mentioned

• The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli
• The Art of War by Sun Tzu
  
  

If you want to stay connected with Alexis, find him on LinkedIn or check out his book Cashing Out, where he lays out the APEX framework for founders preparing for private equity. He’s also inviting founders doing $5–15M in revenue to participate in interviews for his upcoming book; details shared directly in this episode.

Join Dr. William Attaway on the Catalytic Leadership podcast as he shares transformative insights to help high-performance entrepreneurs and agency owners achieve Clear-Minded Focus, Calm Control, and Confidence.

• Free 30-Minute Discovery Call:
  Ready to elevate your business? Book a free 30-minute discovery call with Dr. William Attaway and start your journey to success.
  
  
• Special Offer:
  Get your FREE copy of Catalytic Leadership: 12 Keys to Becoming an Intentional Leader Who Makes a Difference.
  
  

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Growth doesn’t usually fail because of strategy. It fails when ownership breaks down and culture can’t keep up with scale. If your agency is growing, your calendar is full, and you’re still the point of escalation for too many decisions, this conversation will sharpen how you think about leadership ownership culture.

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Sund, President and COO of UnitiMed and GQR Healthcare, two of the largest healthcare staffing companies in the country. Chris has led rapid growth, inherited teams from founders, and made decisions most leaders delay, like hiring a Director of Culture before sales or marketing.

We talk candidly about scaling without burnout, building accountability without control, stopping blame before it spreads, and why execution, not just information, is what actually drives transformation. If you’re refining internal systems, strengthening team performance, or trying to remove yourself as the bottleneck without breaking momentum, this episode will give you clarity you can apply immediately.

Books Mentioned

• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
  
  
• Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
  
  
• The Dichotomy of Leadership by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
  
  
• The Need to Lead by Dave Berke

If you want to stay connected with Chris, visit chrissund.com or connect with him directly on LinkedIn. He’s generous with his time and deeply invested in helping leaders grow with clarity and purpose.

Join Dr. William Attaway on the Catalytic Leadership podcast as he shares transformative insights to help high-performance entrepreneurs and agency owners achieve Clear-Minded Focus, Calm Control, and Confidence.

• Free 30-Minute Discovery Call:
  Ready to elevate your business? Book a free 30-minute discovery call with Dr. William Attaway and start your journey to success.
  
  
• Special Offer:
  Get your FREE copy of Catalytic Leadership: 12 Keys to Becoming an Intentional Leader Who Makes a Difference.
  
  

Connect with Dr. William Attaway:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok
• YouTube

Send us a text

Growth can look strong on paper while everything underneath feels heavier than it should. You’re making decisions, approving work, clarifying expectations, answering questions, again. The numbers are up, but the agency still runs through you. That’s the Founder Bottleneck.

In this episode, I sit down for the second time with Marilyn Jenkins, digital growth strategist and founder of MJ Media Group LLC and Law Marketing Zone. Marilyn has spent decades helping service businesses scale with clarity, most recently through her new book, The 2026 Local SEO Playbook for Law Firms, and her national TV show, The Marketing Zone.

What makes this conversation different is where we focus. We don’t start with tools, AI, or tactics. We start with clarity: how founders unintentionally become the bottleneck through poor communication, over-control, and trying to stay indispensable. Marilyn breaks down why education scales trust, why mystique slows momentum, and why no system, automation, or AI will fix a leadership constraint.

If your agency is busy but not scalable, this episode will give you practical insight into delegation, team development, client communication, and how removing the Founder Bottleneck unlocks your agency’s next level—without burning out your people or yourself.

Books Mentioned

• The 2026 Local SEO Playbook for Law Firms by Marilyn Jenkins
• Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell

If you want to connect with Marilyn or explore her work, the best place is LinkedIn. If you’re interested in contributing to her TV show, visit appearance.mjmediagroup.co.

Join Dr. William Attaway on the Catalytic Leadership podcast as he shares transformative insights to help high-performance entrepreneurs and agency owners achieve Clear-Minded Focus, Calm Control, and Confidence.

• Free 30-Minute Discovery Call:
  Ready to elevate your business? Book a free 30-minute discovery call with Dr. William Attaway and start your journey to success.
  
  
• Special Offer:
  Get your FREE copy of Catalytic Leadership: 12 Keys to Becoming an Intentional Leader Who Makes a Difference.
  
  

Connect with Dr. William Attaway:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• TikTok
• YouTube