Advertise on podcast: The Business Strategist With Adam Strong

Why would anyone pay more for your business when it sounds exactly like the firm down the road? I sat down with my good friend Les Evans for his return to the show, and this one turned into a proper masterclass. We got into the hidden cost of sounding like everyone else in your industry, why it drags down what a buyer will pay when you sell, and what a soap brand, a guitar maker and a law firm handing out free coffee can teach you about standing out.  If you’ve ever read your own website and wondered why it sounds like your competitor’s, grab a notebook for this one. Les is the author of Uncopyable, has worked with founders in over 25 countries and once ran a $100 million investment fund. In this episode The sameness tax and what it costs you at exitHow brand can add two or three to your multipleThe one line that turned a fund manager into a bank robberHow a law firm grew 400% without changing the law it practisedThe question that exposes what you’re really sellingInterested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT THE GUEST Website: https://reallesevans.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesevansofficial LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/les-evans-uncopyable/ ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

My business isn’t held back by the market, the economy or my team, and I’d bet yours isn’t either. So why does nothing change when I already know exactly what needs to change? I sat down with Dr Michael Hagemann to work out why founders who know they need to change still don’t, and before long I was the one in the coaching seat. We got into why the habits that built your business can quietly hold it back, why people don’t really resist change so much as they resist being changed, and the slightly uncomfortable exercise that showed me what I’m actually chasing.  If you’ve ever set a big goal and looked back twelve months later to find nothing had moved, this one is for you. My guest Dr Michael Hagemann is a change and transformation leader at a global multinational, founder of Transformationdoc and author of two books on leadership and change. In this episode Why people resist being changed, not change itselfThe real reason founders never follow through on the planHow to build your change muscle with one small daily habitThe DOC framework for reinventing how you leadThe eulogy exercise that reveals what you really wantInterested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ Timestamps 00:00 Why good businesses stall 03:00 From priest to change leader 08:22 People resist being changed, not change 10:49 The real reasons we resist change 15:03 Knowing you need to change but staying stuck 18:39 Why the plan never gets followed through 20:27 How your brain keeps you in a rut 23:48 How to train your change muscle 34:40 The DOC framework for getting unstuck 42:25 Live coaching: why my goals keep stalling 53:46 The eulogy exercise 58:39 The MIC method for changing your team 1:03:32 Final thoughts ABOUT THE GUEST https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-michael-hagemann-20359156 ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

For years I've heard founders being told to build their personal brand, so why does my guest believe it's the worst thing you can do if you ever want to sell your business? This conversation puts my guest at odds with Daniel Priestley and half of LinkedIn, and I wanted to find out why. We talk about the difference between brand and branding, why buyers hunt for undervalued businesses the way a dealer looks for a Picasso at a car boot sale, and the one asset Stevey says nobody can replace once you've sold. If you run a professional services firm and you've ever wondered whether your name is holding up the valuation, listen before a buyer asks you that question. My guest Stevey Arroyo started on the creative side, learning his craft at a studio in Australia whose clients included Apple. He now works on the deal side, putting a number on what a brand is worth when a business is sold. He also hosts The Brand Exit podcast, where he talks to founders and buyers about what makes a business worth more. Value bombs Why your personal brand could be the biggest risk in your exitBrand versus branding, and why only one shows up in your valuationHow buyers use arbitrage to buy low and sell highThe three things a buyer checks before making an offerWhat to do if you've spent years building your own profileInterested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT THE GUEST www.linkedin.com/in/steveyarroyo www.linkedin.com/company/the-brand-exit   https://www.instagram.com/stevey.arroyo/ https://www.instagram.com/the.brand.exit https://www.thebrandexit.co.uk/ ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

What if two businesses with the same revenue and the same profit went to market, and one sold for millions more than the other? I've watched it happen more times than I can count, and the reason never shows up anywhere on the balance sheet. Alex Brueckmann has been a good friend of mine for the best part of five years, and this is the third time he's joined me on the show.  This time we tackle the question most founders never think to ask until a buyer is already sitting across the table: why will an investor happily pay more for one business than another when the numbers look almost identical?  Alex sits on both sides of that table, advising founders and investing in businesses himself, so he knows exactly what makes a buyer lean in and what quietly sends them walking. Towards the end I asked him to coach me through my own exit plan, and the very first question he put to me is one I think every founder planning to sell should be able to answer before they go anywhere near a deal. Alex is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Strategy Legacy and creator of the Nine Elements of Organisational Identity framework.  Value bombs Why identical profits can sell at very different pricesThe dead body in the closet that kills dealsHow buyers read your culture in due diligenceWhy alignment is a dangerous word in your boardroomWhere to start if you plan to exit in the next 24 to 36 monthsInterested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT THE GUEST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderbrueckmann  Website: www.AlexBrueckmann.com ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

Would you rather spend three years building a business from scratch, or buy one that's already paying out every month? There's a whole market most founders never see. Websites, SaaS tools and digital products change hands every single day, some of them for millions. I sat down with someone who's brokered over $120 million of these deals. We got into what buyers are really paying for, why two businesses making identical profit can sell for double the price, and the million dollar purchase that went to zero overnight. I'm joined by Mike Swigunski, employee number four at Empire Flippers, the world's largest marketplace for buying and selling online businesses. He helped grow it to a 100 person remote team, brokered over $120 million in acquisitions, and is a number one bestselling author and TEDx speaker.  He's now building Dividends, a platform that lets everyday investors own a share of cash flowing online businesses. Value Bombs  The five checks that stop a business collapsing overnightWhy equal profit can mean a 2x difference in priceThe £1M lesson one first time buyer learned the hard wayHow service firms can bolt on recurring revenueWhy the best offer doesn't always win the dealInterested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT THE GUEST #1 Bestselling Book: https://globalcareerbook.com Dividends Raise: https://wefunder.com/dividends Dividends Website: https://dividendscapital.com TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/MQpotNI5NvQ?si=vBq41Ts_io6eIbHV Instagram: https://instagram.com/mikeswigunski LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeswigunski YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/MikeSwigunski Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swigunski ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

For years I was convinced I had built a real business. So why did the whole thing fall apart the second I stepped away from it? Over 52% of business owners have no exit plan, and with the biggest wealth transfer in history already underway, that window is closing fast. In this episode, I had the privilege of appearing on James Lamb’s podcast called ‘The Ownership Journey, where I break down how to build a business that runs without you, the kind of company acquirers actually want to buy, so you can sell on your own terms and the exact blueprint to maximise valuation 2-3 years before exiting.  I share why founder dependency is the biggest drag on your valuation, how an exit plan exposes the gaps in your company, and the mindset shifts that break the revenue ceilings trapping most entrepreneurs. I also go back to my own story, from elite distance runner to McDonald's manager to advisor, and why healthy high performance beat the hustle that was burning me out. Five key takeaways Why what you own might be a job, not a businessWhy founder dependency is the biggest drag on your business valuationHow an exit plan exposes the gaps holding your company backThe mindset shifts that break through revenue ceilingsWhy rest and recovery drive high performance more than hustle Timestamps (00:00) Introduction(01:49) The Exit Planning Crisis: Why 52% of Founders Have No Plan(03:13) My Athletic Roots: Training Alongside Mo Farah(08:47) From McDonald's Manager to Business Coach(14:18) How to Build a 400+ Episode Podcast That Lasts(21:25) Founder Dependency: The Biggest Drag on Business Valuation(30:48) The LAPS Framework for Tracking Business Metrics(37:17) Hustle Culture vs Healthy High Performance(43:05) A Holistic Approach to Exit Strategy for Business Owners(46:29) Breaking Through Business Growth Ceilings at Every Revenue Level(52:22) Lead Generation, LinkedIn Strategy, and Business Acquisition(01:05:52) What a Successful Exit Really Looks Like(01:08:58) Overcoming the Fear of Being Insignificant(01:12:53) Creating Your Own Economy: Build a Business That Runs Without You Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT THE GUEST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong ABOUT THE HOST James Lamb LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslambuk/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-ownership-journey/id1882591694

What if the smartest growth move you could make this year was buying the competitor that keeps stealing your clients? And what if I could do it with none of my own money? I got Jeremy Harbour back on the show and this one shifted how I think about growing my own business. We got into why buying a competitor beats trying to out market them, why most owners quietly wind their business down instead of selling, and the low key way to open that first conversation without spooking anyone.  Jeremy is a Wall Street Journal best selling author and founder of the Harbour Club, the largest M&A community of its kind. He closes one to two acquisition deals every month. Value bombs  Why 92% of small businesses never sell, and how that becomes your openingThe buyer pyramid that quietly doubles what a business is worthHow to spot a competitor worth buying in the first conversationTurning red flags into leverage for a no money down dealThe consulting to equity route into your first acquisition Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT THE GUEST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremyharbour/  Website: https://www.harbourclubevents.com ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

What if the first thing that makes your business worth millions has nothing to do with growth? When private equity buys a company they never fix growth first. They fix five things most founders have never even looked at. And here is the part that should bother you, none of them are a secret. So why do owners leave that value sitting on the table for decades? I have watched buyers walk into a room and unlock value the owner left behind for years. No clever formulas, no trick the big firms know. Just five moves most founders never make until someone is sitting across the table with a chequebook and a list of demands.  In this one I hand you the whole list so you can fix it yourself, keep the value and build a business worth buying, whether you ever sell it or not. What you will learn Why a business that depends on you sells for far lessThe two week test that exposes what breaks without youHow to tell a reputation apart from a real client acquisition engineThe one person sitting in the wrong seat quietly draining your growthThe single claim that lets you charge a premium nobody can copy Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

What if the one area where you feel most sure of yourself is exactly where you cannot see straight? I have always backed my gut in business, so this conversation properly challenged me. In this episode I sat down with someone who has spent her career in rooms most of us never get near, from the UN stage to Fortune 500 boardrooms. We got into why brilliant leaders get blindsided, why your gut might be quietly steering you wrong, and a simple audit that could sharpen your very next big decision. I will leave the rest for you to hear. Cornelia Choe is an international leadership expert, global keynote speaker and Thinkers50 Radar honoree. She has advised hundreds of CEOs across five continents and wrote The Panoramic Leader with Marshall Goldsmith. Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ What you will learn Why your biggest blind spot hides exactly where you feel most certainThe perspective audit that sharpens any decision in 15 minutesHow to keep your instinct without letting it trap youWhat really happens to your identity when you step away from your businessWhy the truth gets more filtered the higher you climb ABOUT THE GUEST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cornelia-choe/ Instagram: corneliachoe_author ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

What if the harder you push, the more fragile you get? For years I believed the fix was self discipline. More willpower, more grind, more 5am starts. Every time I fell off I told myself the same thing: just try harder. So what actually moves human behaviour, and why might the smallest action be the one thing that finally helps you grow? I sat down with a behavioural economist who has spent 20 years studying what really changes the way we behave. She told me slow beats fast, big goals freeze us, and there's a silent burnout most founders never spot until the body forces the issue. Then she walked me through her framework live, using one of my own goals. I left questioning a belief I've carried my whole career. Dr Christiane Schroeder is a behavioural economist, TEDx speaker and bestselling author of five books. She hosts the Happy Healthy Hustle Podcast, a top 1% global show, and was named Woman in Podcasting 2025 in the education category. Her new book, Petite Practice, is out 16 August 2026. Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ Value bombs Why the harder you push, the more fragile you getThe rule of thirds, and why bad days are built inSlow beats fast, and how speed quietly costs you the winsThe silent burnout hiding behind your highest performersHer STEP framework, walked through live on my own goal ABOUT THE GUEST Website:  https://doctorchristiane.com Instagram:  https://instagram.com/doctor.christiane LinkedIn:  https://linkedin.com/in/christianeschroeter/ YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@doctor.christiane TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@doctor.christiane X:  https://x.com/Christiane_711 Challenge:  https://doctorchristiane.com/the-do-it-anyway-challenge-3/ ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

What if the thing holding your business back isn't the market or your team, but you? I've watched founders hit the same wall for years and never quite worked out why some break through while others stay stuck for a decade. This conversation finally gave me the answer. I've been sitting with one question for years. Why do some founders make the leap from a million to ten, while others just as capable stall for a decade? In this one I get answers from the person top Silicon Valley founders call when they hit a wall. We get into why what got you here won't get you there, the exact point most businesses break, and the quiet fear that keeps you playing small. If you've ever suspected you're the bottleneck in your own business, this one's for you. My guest is Julian Lighton. He spent 12 years at McKinsey, ran billion dollar businesses at Cisco and Hitachi, and has been chief strategy officer at four public companies. He took Corsair public in 2020, and today he coaches senior leaders at Anthropic, Microsoft and Adobe. He's also the author of an international bestseller ’Navigating your next’.  What you will learn The exact point most businesses break, and it isn't revenueWhy what got you here won't get you thereHow to tell if you're stuck on skill or on mindsetThe four lenses that show where you're leaking timeThe real cost of staying exactly where you are Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT THE GUEST Julian’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianlighton1/.  Julian’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julian.lighton/.  Julian’s best-selling book is out now: Navigating Your Next | Julian Lighton Julian’s website: https://www.julianlighton.com/ ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

Why does most LinkedIn outreach get completely ignored? I asked myself the same thing for years, until I stopped guessing and started testing. What I found changed how I book calls entirely, so what was I doing wrong the whole time? When we think of outreach often the first thoughts that go through our mind is spammy sales messages, I was scared of the rejection and honestly most of what I saw out there was soulless copy and paste.  Then I started running proper campaigns. Over the last few months I built a simple five step framework that quietly books quality calls every single week, no pushy scripts, no wasting anyone's time.  In this one I take you behind the scenes and show you exactly how I do it, from the tiny connection request tweak that lifted my acceptance rates to the follow up rhythm nearly everyone gets wrong. What you will learn How to get razor clear on your ideal customer before you send a wordThe connection request change that lifts acceptance rates fastWhy messaging too soon quietly kills the dealThe curiosity trick that gets your messages actually openedWhere the real money hides in your follow up Free guide on how to create clarity in your business strategy: https://app.notion.com/p/The-Ultimate-Guide-to-Creating-Clarity-in-Your-Business-Strategy-2341d950a9a580e991d5c47a491bdab4 ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

What if the person quietly holding your business back is someone you'd never dream of firing? I've watched founders throw everything at sales and funding, then wonder why growth suddenly stalls. So I sat down with Dr. Cynthia Bentzen-Mercer, a USA Today bestselling author and executive coach who's spent 30 years in the C-suite watching the same mistake play out. We got into why the best hire on paper is so often the worst performer in the room, and the loyalty trap that's costing founders more than they realise. If you're scaling, this might change how you look at everyone on your payroll. Value bombs from this episode: Why years of experience tells you almost nothing about how someone will actually performThe four types of people in every team, and the one quietly draining your growthThe kind way to move on the person who got you here but can't take you furtherWhy your top performer might be your most expensive mistakeThe 2030 deadline no founder is talking about Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT THE GUEST Website: www.cynthiabentzenmercer.com,  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrCynthiaBentzenMercer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcynthiabentzenmercer Resources — Bentzen Performance Partners Global Organizational Development Strategist Company ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

Two months ago I signed what I thought was my dream client. It turned into the worst working relationship of my career, and it cost me a lot more than the fee was ever worth. In this episode I go through the nine client types I now refuse to work with and the seven traits I look for instead. I also share the qualification process I have put in place since, including one request most people would never have the nerve to make. If you have ever chased the money and paid for it later, listen to this before your next sales call. What you will learn Why perfectionism is really procrastination in disguiseHow to spot an energy vampire before the first invoiceThe client type who takes your framework and your creditThe seven traits every good client has in commonWhat I now demand from anyone who wants to work with me Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong

What if scaling your business is quietly erasing the person who built it? For years I thought more revenue, more staff, more space would take the weight off. It doesn't. The pressure just grows with the business. This one is about why so many of us tie who we are to how the company is doing, and what that quietly costs us. If you have ever looked like you had it all together on the outside while feeling empty underneath, listen to this. My guest is chairman of the Napoleon Hill Institute and the former CEO of the sports agency that inspired Jerry Maguire. He is an investor, entrepreneur and one of the most recognised voices in personal development in the United States. Inside this episode The scaling curse most founders beg to be blessed withSurrender, reframed as taking control rather than giving upThe 12 hours of non negotiables that drive 90 percent of your progressDiscipline versus devotion, and why one leaves you broke and burnt outThe reason turning down help might be holding you back more than you think Interested in freeing yourself in the business? Take the exit ready diagnostics test and identify the gaps in your growth and scale model. Go here: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com/ ABOUT GUEST WEBSITE - https://bit.ly/2L052wW LINKEDIN - https://bit.ly/2uuTHdO YOUTUBE - https://bit.ly/2Lqr8oB Get your FREE Book by emailing: [email protected] ABOUT THE HOST LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong Website: ⁠https://adamstrong.net⁠ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong