Most founders don’t have a hiring strategy. They have a hiring reaction.

Someone quits? Panic post the job. Pipeline slows? Panic hire a “growth expert.” But the biggest hiring mistake isn't who you hire, it's how and when you start the process.

We’re finally releasing our no-BS recording from LinkedIn Live on this topic through the Strategy Ladders Podcast. Join Brian, Kas, Josh and Austin as they expose the difference between hiring with intention... and hiring out of desperation. From choosing agencies that ghost you after the proposal, to consultants who solve one problem and quietly create three more. We even look at the in-house hires who drown under onboarding. This episode breaks down why most founders hire late, hire wrong, and stall growth as a result.

And yes, we’re calling out the myth that proactive recruitment is just for fancy corporates. Spoiler alert: if you’re waiting until the seat’s cold to post the job, you’re already two months behind.

In This Episode:

✅ The real cost of bad hiring decisions (hint: it’s not just money)

✅ Why your “gut feel” is screwing up your hiring strategy

✅ Proactive recruitment frameworks for scaling smarter

✅ Consultant illusions that trap early-stage businesses

✅ Why treating agencies like employees (and vice versa) kills results

If you’ve been burned by agencies, ghosted by consultants, or hired a salesperson that couldn’t sell a pen, this episode is your roadmap out.

👉 Subscribe and watch now! Your future self (and your next hire) will thank you.

Authenticity or attention—do you actually need to choose?

Personal branding is the golden ticket for founders, creators, and business leaders—because let's be real, shouting into the void isn’t a growth strategy. But the hot debate sweeping LinkedIn and Twitter rants: Is content authenticity still a thing, or does playing the algorithm always win?

In our latest Strategy Ladders Podcast, Kas brings in our content lead, Gabriel, to tackle the debate no one talks about honestly (but everyone secretly judges). How much of your brand should be raw, unfiltered personality, and how much should be “I swear this isn’t just engagement bait” strategy?

Because despite people rolling their eyes at marketing psychology hacks and neatly packaged carousels, most still aren’t growing—because they’re just posting and praying instead of posting with purpose.

🚀 In This Episode:

✅ Personal Branding vs. Content Strategy: Which one actually builds influence?

✅ The biggest mistakes creators make when trying to grow on LinkedIn (besides posting inspirational gym selfies).

✅ Why "Content Authenticity" isn’t enough (but pretending to be a guru is worse).

✅ How to scale content while staying true to your voice (without sounding like ChatGPT wrote it).

✅ What founders get wrong about positioning themselves online (spoiler: it’s not just about "value” posts).

If you’re stuck between posting ‘whatever feels right’ or becoming a walking content calendar, this episode might be your wake-up call.

👉 Watch now and subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about scaling, content, and branding that actually works.

Businesses always scale fast in its early stages, but as they mature, most founders hit a growth plateau. The uncomfortable reality these business owners face? When a business is hovering around 20 employees, they are the reason it's stuck.

You think you're driving growth, but in reality, you’re the bottleneck. This is the Rule of 20—the invisible ceiling that keeps small agencies and service businesses from reaching their potential.

In this episode of the Strategy Ladders podcast, our full team of advisors meet up to tear apart the common hiring mistakes that keep founders stuck. You’ll learn the difference between growth hires vs. clone hires and how the habit of hiring people who "do what you do," sets your business up for guaranteed stagnation. Real scale comes from hiring beyond yourself - with teams that outperform and kick you out of operations — not replicating yourself.

The boys also tackle the biggest mindset shift you must make without excuse: transitioning from a hands-on operator to a real CEO. You can’t keep plugging gaps with quick fixes. Your team, your offer, and your leadership style all need to evolve.

Inside This Episode:

✅ What the Rule of 20 is and why it happens to so many businesses

✅ Growth Hires vs. Clone Hires—which one actually scales your company?

✅ The Founder Bottleneck—how YOU are holding your business back

If your agency or service business is stalling, this episode might be the wake-up call you finally needed.

👉 Subscribe & drop a comment below: Are you stuck at 20? What’s holding you back? Let’s talk.