Hire Yourself Podcast with Pete Gilfillan

You can have the title, the experience, and the accomplishments, but without a clear why, it becomes harder to stay motivated, focused, and energized. In this reuploaded episode, Pete Gilfillan breaks down why defining your purpose is critical for senior-level executives who want to stay driven, fulfilled, and aligned with their long-term goals. Your why is the anchor that keeps you steady through stress, uncertainty, and career transitions.

In this episode, Pete discusses:

• Reclaiming Your Spark
  Executives often lose motivation because they drift away from their why. Pete talks about how reconnecting with your purpose restores energy, enthusiasm, and clarity.
• Separating Your Personal Why and Your Business Why
  Your personal purpose and your professional purpose are not always the same. Pete explains why separating the two gives you strength, direction, and long-term commitment.
• Staying Strong During Tough Seasons
  Every executive faces setbacks. A clear why gives you the resilience to push through challenges, market changes, and stressful periods.
• Self Assessment and Alignment
  Pete outlines how to identify what truly matters to you, what satisfies you, and what drains you so your why is grounded in reality.
• Creating a Long Term Vision
  Your why must align with your ten year goals. Pete shares how defining your future helps you stay focused and avoid drifting through your career.
• Seeking Guidance and Support
  Sometimes finding your why requires help. Pete talks about how mentors, coaches, and accountability partners help you gain clarity and stay aligned.
• Fueling Motivation and Fulfillment
  Your why is the engine behind commitment, creativity, and sustained drive. When your purpose is clear, even difficult work feels meaningful.

Key Takeaways

• Your why gives you the spark you may have lost
• You must define your personal why and your business why
• A strong why helps you survive tough seasons in your career
• Self assessment keeps your purpose aligned with what matters
• A ten year vision gives your purpose long term direction
• Mentors and coaches help you stay aligned
• Purpose fuels motivation and long term fulfillment

“Your why is the engine that keeps you going when everything else tries to slow you down.” - Pete Gilfillan

CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/
🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/

CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST:
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804
▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642
📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

Hire Yourself Podcast with Pete Gilfillan

Ageism is real, and it’s accelerating. In this reuploaded episode, Pete breaks down how executives in their late 40s, 50s, and 60s can protect themselves from being pushed out of corporate life before they’re ready. With layoffs rising, loyalty disappearing, and older leaders being overlooked or replaced, Pete outlines eight practical steps to stay relevant, protect your income, and build long-term security.

In this episode, Pete discusses:

• Acknowledging ageism as a real threat
  Ageism is growing across industries. Recognizing the bias early helps you prepare and take strategic action before it impacts your career.
• Modernizing your resume and online presence
  Showcasing recent accomplishments, updated skills, and new certifications helps counter the perception that older executives aren’t up to date.
• Continuing to build and demonstrate leadership
  Senior-level leaders bring decades of experience. Highlighting decision-making skills, innovation, and cross-generational leadership reinforces your value.
• Leveraging your network and building mentorship
  Strong professional relationships increase your visibility, create opportunities, and help validate your expertise.
• Upskilling and reskilling to stay relevant
  Staying current with technology, AI, data, and new systems demonstrates adaptability and commitment to growth.
• Leading multi-generational teams
  Showing strength in mentoring younger talent and collaborating across age groups helps counter age-based assumptions.
• Creating a Plan B through business ownership
  Real estate, consulting, and especially semi-absentee franchise ownership can help create income security when corporate roles disappear.
• Advocating for yourself in the workplace
  Communicating your value and maintaining visibility helps reduce the impact of bias, even in environments where ageism is never openly acknowledged.

Key Takeaways:

• Ageism is real, rising, and impacting executives earlier than ever.
• Fifty percent of corporate executives over 50 are pushed out before they are ready.
• Only ten percent of those who get pushed out earn the same or more in their next role.
• You must protect yourself before ageism hits, not after.
• Building income security outside of corporate — especially through semi-absentee franchise ownership — creates real stability and control.
• A side business gives you a runway, a pivot point, and a safety net when corporate life shifts unexpectedly.

“Ageism is unavoidable, but being unprepared is optional. Build something on the side so you're never caught flat footed.” — Pete Gilfillan

CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/
🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/

CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST:
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804
▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642
📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

Hire Yourself Podcast with Pete Gilfillan

A common concern executives bring to Pete is simple: Do I need sales experience to invest in a franchise?

In this reuploaded episode, Pete explains why the answer is no — and why your leadership experience matters far more than your sales background.

Franchise systems are built to give owners the tools, structure, and support they need to generate customers and grow revenue. If you can talk to people, lead a team, and follow a proven process, you can succeed as a franchise owner.

In this episode, Pete discusses:

• Proven Business Models
  Franchises already have a tested blueprint, refined systems, and established sales processes. You simply follow the model.
• Marketing & Branding Support
  National and local campaigns drive customers to the business — reducing your reliance on personal selling.
• Operational & Sales Support
  Lead generation, CRM tools, and structured sales training help you ramp up quickly even without a sales background.
• Leveraging Your Network
  Executives already have professional relationships that can accelerate early growth and local visibility.
• Management & Strategy Focus
  Owners focus on leadership and decision making while trained staff handle day-to-day sales activities.
• Comprehensive Training from the Franchisor
  Franchisors teach you everything — from scripts to closing techniques — no prior experience required.
• Recruiting a Strong Sales Team
  Franchise systems help you hire sales talent so you can oversee the business rather than be the salesperson.
• Clear Metrics and KPI Tracking
  Franchisors provide dashboards and performance metrics to help you stay on course as you scale.

Key Takeaways:

• You do not need prior sales experience to succeed in a franchise.
• Franchise systems provide the tools, training, and support needed to generate revenue.
• Your executive background — leadership, planning, accountability — matters more than selling skills.
• You only need to be comfortable talking to people and building relationships.
• Franchising gives you a structured path to build wealth, gain control, and live life on your terms.

“You don’t need to be a salesperson to succeed in franchising. You just need to be coachable, willing to lead, and comfortable talking to people.” — Pete Gilfillan

CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/
🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/

CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST:
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804
▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642
📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

Hire Yourself Podcast with Pete Gilfillan
Corporate leaders spend decades building skills in strategy, leadership, operations, and customer experience. What many executives don’t realize is that these same skills translate directly into successful franchise ownership.

In this reuploaded episode, Pete Gilfillan breaks down how senior-level executives can use their corporate training to build and scale a business of their own. If you've ever wondered whether your background gives you an advantage in entrepreneurship, the answer is absolutely yes.

In this episode, Pete discusses:

• Strategic Planning & Execution
  Executives know how to build long-term plans, set KPIs, and align teams to a shared vision — the exact skills needed to launch and scale a franchise.
• Leadership & Team Building
  Hiring, training, motivating, and culture-building are second nature to corporate leaders. Franchise owners with leadership experience outperform quickly.
• Financial Acumen
  Numbers drive business success. Budgeting, forecasting, and analyzing margins help executives build profitable locations faster.
• Operational Excellence
  Corporate-trained leaders know how to build systems, SOPs, and efficient processes — a major advantage in franchising.
• Risk Management Skills
  Assessing threats, evaluating opportunities, and making smart decisions translate directly into smart franchise ownership.
• Networking & Relationship Building
  Executives bring decades of contacts and influence to the table, creating partnerships and customer relationships that fuel growth.
• Continuous Learning & Adaptability
  The corporate environment teaches leaders to evolve quickly — a must-have skill for running a business.
• Customer-Centric Thinking
  Executives understand service excellence and can elevate customer experience far beyond competitors.
• Community Engagement
  Building relationships locally, sponsoring events, and getting involved drives brand visibility and trust.

Key Takeaways:

• Corporate experience gives you a serious head start in franchise ownership.
• Leadership, strategy, financials, and customer focus directly accelerate business success.
• As corporate demand for senior executives shrinks, entrepreneurship creates new opportunity.
• Your skills can build your own wealth instead of someone else’s.
• Franchise ownership gives you control, income security, and a scalable path forward.

“You’ve spent years learning how to build things for others. It might be time to use that experience to build something for yourself.” — Pete Gilfillan

CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/
🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/

CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST:
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804
▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642
📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

Hire Yourself Podcast with Pete Gilfillan

Ghost job postings are everywhere. Companies look like they are hiring, but behind the scenes, they are freezing budgets, restructuring, or quietly cutting roles. In this reuploaded episode, Pete Gilfillan breaks down why senior-level executives face one of the most deceptive job markets in decades and what it means for anyone relying on corporate stability.

Executives in their forties, fifties, and sixties are being laid off at record levels, only to discover that many of the job postings they are applying for were never meant to be filled. Pete explains the hidden dynamics behind ghost jobs and why ownership offers clarity, control, and real opportunity at a time when corporate security is collapsing.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

1. Why companies post jobs that are not real

Some companies publish jobs simply to look stable, healthy, or growing. Pete explains how job postings can be used to project strength even when a company is laying people off or freezing hiring.

2. How ghost jobs drain time and create false hope

Executives apply, wait, follow up, and hear nothing. Pete breaks down how this delays your next step, burns severance time, and creates the illusion of opportunity that does not actually exist.

3. How AI and restructuring are shrinking white collar roles

AI, automation, and corporate reorganizations are eliminating entire layers of management. Pete highlights how this is accelerating age discrimination and making it harder to move laterally or upward.

4. Why executives no longer control their own future

Ghost jobs make the market look full of possibility, but Pete shows why the real executive job market is shrinking. When you work for a company, you do not control hiring freezes, layoffs, or corporate direction.

5. Why ownership provides clarity instead of illusion

Franchise ownership gives executives something corporate life cannot provide: control. Pete explains how business ownership provides predictable demand, a proven playbook, long term stability, and the ability to build wealth instead of waiting for another corporate role.

Key Takeaways

• Many job postings are never intended to be filled
• It can take six to twelve months for executives to land another role
• AI and restructuring are removing layers of management
• Ghost jobs create the illusion of opportunity that is not there
• Ownership offers control, stability, and the path to building wealth

“When you work for someone else, they control your future. When you own a business, you take that control back.” - Pete Gilfillan

CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/
🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/

CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST:
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804
▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642
📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

Hire Yourself Podcast with Pete Gilfillan

This is a reupload of one of the most valuable conversations for executives thinking about stepping into franchise ownership. In this episode, Pete Gilfillan sits down with Zach Tanner, the founder of Painter Bros, to share the real path from scrappy young entrepreneur to leading one of the fastest growing painting franchise brands in America.

Zach’s journey—from mowing lawns for an iPod Nano to franchising a national brand—is packed with lessons every corporate executive needs to hear, especially if you're thinking about owning your own business.

In this episode, Pete and Zach discuss:

1. How Early Entrepreneurial Traits Shape Future Success
Zach shares how mowing lawns in 5th grade and working in family-owned businesses taught him initiative, resilience, and ownership long before franchising entered the picture.

2. Why He Walked Away from College to Bet on Himself
Instead of investing four years into school, Zach did the math on what he could build with real-world action. That mindset shift became the foundation of Painter Bros.

3. Building a Franchise the Hard Way
From a ten dollar domain name to a homemade website, Zach explains the early grind, the missteps, and why he froze franchising for years to rebuild systems the right way.

4. Commercial Contracts, Technology, and True Differentiation
Zach breaks down how he built a tech platform that tracks cost per customer acquisition, why commercial work changed everything, and how a relationship-first culture sets Painter Bros apart.

5. Who Actually Succeeds in This Franchise
Zach reveals the real profile of a winning owner: corporate executives, not painters. Leaders who understand relationships, B2B communication, and want control of their income, time, and future.

Key Takeaways:

• Great franchise owners aren’t technicians—they’re leaders.
• Culture is a competitive advantage when it’s real and lived daily.
• Corporate executives often have more transferable skills than they realize.
• The hardest barrier in entrepreneurship is your own mindset.
• Franchise ownership gives you control, scalability, and a real asset to build.

“You’re the only one that’s going to get in your way. Once you break through that, the world opens up.” — Zach Tanner

CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/
🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/

CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST:
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804
▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642
📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

Hire Yourself Podcast with Pete Gilfillan

The corporate ladder is disappearing. In this episode, Pete Gilfillan breaks down the realities of today’s corporate world, where automation, AI, and restructuring are flattening organizations and eliminating the traditional path to executive growth.

If you’ve spent decades climbing toward leadership, this episode will make you rethink what “upward mobility” really means and why more executives are taking control through franchise ownership.

In this episode, Pete discusses:

1. The First Rung Is Gone
AI and automation are eliminating entry-level positions—the very roles that once drove corporate advancement. As companies flatten, fewer opportunities remain to move up from within.

2. Skills Now Matter More Than Titles
The era of “paying your dues” is over. Advancement depends on performance and specialized skills, not tenure. Executives must now prove their worth in measurable ways or risk being replaced.

3. Flattened Organizations, Fewer Promotions
As technology streamlines operations, layers of management disappear. With fewer rungs on the ladder, career growth becomes limited—and often unpredictable.

4. Job Hopping and the Rise of Boundaryless Careers
Executives aren’t waiting for promotions that may never come. Many are building multiple income streams—franchises, consulting, real estate—to reclaim control of their future.

5. Market Volatility and the End of Job Stability
Restructuring, mergers, and cost-cutting are the new normal. The ladder no longer represents security—it represents risk. The smartest executives are building their own ladders through business ownership.

Key Takeaways:

• The traditional corporate ladder is collapsing from both ends.
• AI and automation are shrinking entry-level and mid-level opportunities.
• Career growth now depends on adaptability and self-direction.
• Owning a business gives you a new ladder—one you control.
• Franchising offers a structured, proven way to achieve that independence.

“The corporate ladder isn’t stable—it’s disappearing. The smartest executives are building their own ladders.” — Pete Gilfillan

CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/
🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/

CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST:
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804
▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642
📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR

Hire Yourself Podcast with Pete Gilfillan

Ageism is real and it’s accelerating. In this episode, Pete Gilfillan breaks down how age discrimination is quietly forcing executives out of corporate life before they’re ready—financially or emotionally—and what you can do to protect yourself.

After decades in corporate America, Pete lived this story himself. Now, as a nationally recognized franchise consultant, he helps executives turn fear of being “phased out” into freedom through franchise ownership.

In this episode, Pete covers:

1. The Truth About Ageism
HR News Canada reports that ageism in the workforce has surged 33%, and 50% of executives over 50 are pushed into early retirement before they’re ready.

2. Why a Paycheck Isn’t Income Security
Corporate loyalty is gone. Promotions stall, raises slow, and layoffs come fast. Franchise ownership gives you true income control—no one can decide your financial future for you.

3. Build for Yourself, Not Someone Else
In corporate life, your hard work builds another person’s wealth. As a business owner, you’re building your own asset—something that creates equity, stability, and a legacy.

4. Regain Purpose and Impact
Owning a business gives you back the drive that corporate life often drains. You’re the one making an impact in your community—creating jobs, serving people, and shaping your own culture.

5. Lifestyle Flexibility and True Freedom
As a franchise owner, you decide when and how you work. No relocation, no forced retirements, no endless meetings—just control over your schedule and your life.

6. Protect Your Retirement, Build a Legacy
Franchise ownership creates an asset that can support your family long after you step away—either through ongoing income or as a business you can sell or pass down.

Key Takeaways:

• Ageism is accelerating.
• Corporate jobs no longer guarantee income or security.
• Franchise ownership gives you control over your destiny, lifestyle, and legacy.
• The best way to beat ageism is to build something that no one can take away.

“Ageism is real—but it doesn’t have to define your future.” — Pete Gilfillan

CONNECT WITH PETE GILFILLAN:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petegilfillan/
🌐 Website: https://www.hireyourself.com/

CONNECT WITH HIRE YOURSELF PODCAST:
🎧 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hire-yourself-podcast/id1472038217
🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7eTKOLjuUWbf7BRtGtp6dP?si=eb2f7b38bd884804
▶️ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@hireyourself7642
📅 Meet with Pete: https://go.hireyourself.com/gilfillan?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=IR