Grow With Purpose

Grow with Purpose is a podcast for leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners who want to build more than just a profitable company — they want to build a business that matters. Rooted in the principles of Joey Brannon’s book, "Grow with Purpose," this show explores what it means to grow on purpose and with purpose . Each episode features real conversations with business owners, industry experts, and mission-minded leaders who are integrating faith, values, and strategy into every layer of their business. Topics range from culture and team health to financials, operations, leadership, hiring and firing, and more — all viewed through the lens of lasting impact and spiritual alignment . Whether you're navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship, scaling your team, or making tough decisions that test your values, this podcast will challenge and equip you to lead with clarity, conviction, and

196 episodes

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Episodes 197

198: How Owners Step Back Without Breaking the Business (Part 2)
2d ago · 31:42
Billy Swanson is the second generation at Tri County Air Conditioning and Heating, the company his father started. In this episode, he and Joey talk about the six or seven year journey that moved his two sons and his nephew into ownership, and the question he asked his sons before the shares were signed.
197: How Owners Step Back Without Breaking the Business (Part 1)
1mo ago · 55:22
Billy Swanson is president and majority shareholder of Tri County Air Conditioning and Heating in Southwest Florida, the company his father started in April of 1977. In part one of a two-part conversation, he and Joey talk about the call that brought him home, the eleven months in Siberia that ended with his father's early onset Alzheimer's diagnosis, and the day he stood in front of about sixty-five employees and told them the company they worked for no longer existed.
196: Nothing Fixes Itself - 40 Years of Leadership Lessons
1mo ago · 1:04:57
Chris Romine has spent 40 years in financial services and now leads Northern Trust’s Lakewood Ranch and Manatee market. He and Joey talk about running a team like a business you own, the conversation most leaders keep postponing, and why nothing on a team resolves itself on its own.
195: Course Correction: When Your Plan Derails in Q2 (Revisited in 2026)
1mo ago · 36:45
By midyear, a lot of leadership teams are off the plan they set in January — and they're not sure whether it's a rough patch or something bigger. Mike LoBue and Joey Brannon work through how to diagnose the drift, tell a tactical problem from a systemic one, and reset priorities without losing the team's trust or scrapping the year.
194: What Real Ownership Freedom Looks Like
2mo ago · 36:45
Mike LoBue talks with Business Growth Advisor Tommy Rohrlack about a word business owners toss around constantly: freedom. Usually, what they’re really after is relief, and that gap, freedom versus relief, ends up steering what the business becomes next.
193: Owner Thinking vs. Manager Thinking
2mo ago · 1:02
Owners love to say they wish their people would think like owners. Joey Brannon and Tommy Rohrlack explore what owners are really asking for, why most founders stay stuck reacting instead of thinking strategically, and how margin, delegation, and a longer-term perspective help owners lead more effectively.
192: When Growth Breaks the Owner
2mo ago · 1:14
Growth is supposed to be the payoff, so why does it so often leave the owner exhausted and ready to walk away? Joey Brannon and Tommy Rohrlack break down when growth breaks the owner, how to spot the difference between tired and burned out, and the identity shift that makes growth sustainable.
191: Not All PE Is the Devil
2mo ago · 53:20
Most owners only hear the private equity horror stories. This episode walks through a real client sale to a PE firm and what made it go right — from picking the buyer all the way through to the day after closing. If an exit is anywhere on your horizon for a $10M to $50M business, listen to this conversation first.
190: Three Moves That Change a Company
3mo ago · 41:16
Mike LoBue walks Joey through three moves one of our clients made that changed their business: leadership development, a real scorecard, and a planning and execution rhythm. The same three moves most owners wait too long to make.
189: Why Your Team Isn’t Taking Ownership
3mo ago · 23:43
When owners say their team won’t take ownership, they usually mean it as a people problem. Tommy Rohrlack and Cameron Earhart make the case that it starts with culture, clarity, and the owner’s willingness to let go of control.
188: When the Business Needs You Less (And Why That’s Hard)
3mo ago · 30:48
Cameron Earhart and Mike LoBue talk through a problem most owners don’t expect: the business finally runs without you, and instead of relief, you feel uneasy. They get into why that happens and what to do about it.
187: What Owners Should Be Working On (But Rarely Are)
3mo ago · 36:07
Joey Brannon and Axiom Business Growth Advisor Tommy Rohrlack on what's keeping owners stuck in the day-to-day, what it's costing the business, and the four areas every owner should be spending their time on instead.
186: Risk, Control, and Letting Others Decide
4mo ago · 39:22
Most founders say they want a leadership team that can run the business. Then they keep approving every contract, sitting in on every interview, and showing up on every job site. In this episode, Joey Brannon and Tommy Rohrlack work through why letting others decide is so hard for founders, the org-chart math that says you’re capped no matter what the revenue looks like, and what changes when an owner finally hands over real decisions.
185: Why Financial Independence Isn’t the Finish Line
4mo ago · 46:05
What happens after you reach financial independence? In this episode, Joey sits down with Alan and Nicholas Irving to challenge the traditional idea of retirement and explore a better question: what is wealth actually for? From family values to multi-generational stewardship, they unpack how money becomes a tool for purpose—not a finish line.
184: The Hard Conversation No CEO Wants to Have
4mo ago · 41:56
Every leadership team has that one conversation the CEO keeps putting off. In this episode, Joey Brannon and senior advisor Tommy Rohrlack unpack the real cost of delay, what clarity actually looks like in a hard performance conversation, and how to know when coaching isn't enough anymore.
183: The Three Levels of Connection (Revisited in 2026)
4mo ago · 35:23
What if the questions you're asking your team are the reason they're not opening up? First aired in 2022 as Episode 106, this revisited episode walks through Vanessa Van Edwards' three levels of connection — from the throwaway questions that generate noise to the deeper ones that reveal how someone actually sees themselves — so you can start building the kind of trust that drives real engagement.
182: What Happens When Business Partners Want Out at Different Times?
5mo ago · 34:22
Most business owners know they'll exit their business one day. Very few have talked to their partner about what that actually looks like — or when. In this episode, Joey Brannon and Cameron Earhart close out the four-part partnership series by tackling the conversations most partners avoid until they can't: exit timelines, succession planning, and what happens when two partners are ready to leave on very different schedules. They walk through the most common exit paths — third-party sale, ESOP, internal buyout, and recapitalization — and what daily decisions are quietly narrowing your options
181: Vision Alignment & Partnership Fit
5mo ago · 34:22
In Part 3 of the Partnership Series, Joey Brannon and Cameron Earhart shift from structure to vision—exploring how assumptions, expectations, and misalignment create friction over time. They unpack how partners can stay aligned as businesses grow, roles evolve, and priorities change.
180: The Owner Hat vs. Employee Hat
5mo ago · 42:07
In Part 2 of our Partnership Series, Joey and Cameron break down the difference between the employee hat and the owner hat, why unclear roles create internal conflict, and how structured leadership and ownership meetings protect long-term growth.
179: Operating Agreements & Partnership Structure
5mo ago · 50:33
65% of businesses without a written operating agreement dissolve within five years. Joey and Cameron explain how operating agreements reduce risk, prevent decision deadlock, and protect partners through growth, capital needs, and buy-sell events.
178: Demystifying ESOPs with Jason Miller
5mo ago · 51:34
Jason Miller joins Joey Brannon to break down ESOPs in plain English — how they work, common misconceptions, valuation differences, and why some owners choose employee ownership over private equity.
177: Business Sale Due Diligence: Why Deals Fall Apart (Exit Series · Part 3 of 3)
6mo ago · 39:12
In Part 3 of our Exit Series, Cameron Earhart and I break down what actually happens after a Letter of Intent (LOI) is signed — and why most business sale transactions fail during due diligence. We explain how buyers evaluate risk, what “deal fatigue” looks like, and why organization, documented systems, and management depth directly impact deal survivability. We also discuss retrading, legal structure considerations like indemnification exposure, key employee concentration, cultural evaluation, and the most common reason deals fall apart: seller cold feet. If you’re considering selling your b
176: Before You Talk to Buyers: Financial Readiness, Valuation & Buyer Trust (Exit Series · Part 2 of 3)
6mo ago · 36:29
In Part 2 of our Exit Series, Joey Brannon and Cameron Earhart break down what separates “clean” financials from “buyer-ready” financials — and why that distinction can dramatically impact valuation. They unpack quality of earnings reports, adjusted EBITDA, valuation multiples, customer concentration risk, inconsistent margins, and what causes buyers to lower their offers during due diligence. If you’re one to three years from selling — or even if you just want to understand what your business is worth — this episode outlines the financial foundation every owner should build long before going
175: Before You Talk to Buyers: Why Most Business Exits Fail Before They Start (Exit Series · Part 1 of 3)
6mo ago · 39:30
In Episode 175 of Grow With Purpose, Joey Brannon sits down with Senior Business Advisor Cameron Earhart for Part 1 of a three-part series on business exits. With private equity firms and buyers reaching out more aggressively than ever, many business owners feel pressure to move quickly when conversations start. But most exits don’t fail in due diligence—they fail long before that stage, because owners haven’t clarified their intent, options, or readiness. This episode focuses on what must happen before you talk to buyers. Joey and Cameron unpack why so many deals fall apart early, the hidden
174: Building Client Relationships That Last
6mo ago · 40:25
A conversation on building long-term client relationships through trust, consistency, and communication, and why credibility is earned over time—not through expertise alone.

Episodes

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Grow With Purpose

Episodes 197

198: How Owners Step Back Without Breaking the Business (Part 2)

197: How Owners Step Back Without Breaking the Business (Part 1)

196: Nothing Fixes Itself - 40 Years of Leadership Lessons

195: Course Correction: When Your Plan Derails in Q2 (Revisited in 2026)

194: What Real Ownership Freedom Looks Like

193: Owner Thinking vs. Manager Thinking

192: When Growth Breaks the Owner

191: Not All PE Is the Devil

190: Three Moves That Change a Company

189: Why Your Team Isn’t Taking Ownership

188: When the Business Needs You Less (And Why That’s Hard)

187: What Owners Should Be Working On (But Rarely Are)

186: Risk, Control, and Letting Others Decide

185: Why Financial Independence Isn’t the Finish Line

184: The Hard Conversation No CEO Wants to Have

183: The Three Levels of Connection (Revisited in 2026)

182: What Happens When Business Partners Want Out at Different Times?

181: Vision Alignment & Partnership Fit

180: The Owner Hat vs. Employee Hat

179: Operating Agreements & Partnership Structure

178: Demystifying ESOPs with Jason Miller

177: Business Sale Due Diligence: Why Deals Fall Apart (Exit Series · Part 3 of 3)

176: Before You Talk to Buyers: Financial Readiness, Valuation & Buyer Trust (Exit Series · Part 2 of 3)

175: Before You Talk to Buyers: Why Most Business Exits Fail Before They Start (Exit Series · Part 1 of 3)

174: Building Client Relationships That Last

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Episodes 197

198: How Owners Step Back Without Breaking the Business (Part 2)

197: How Owners Step Back Without Breaking the Business (Part 1)

196: Nothing Fixes Itself - 40 Years of Leadership Lessons

195: Course Correction: When Your Plan Derails in Q2 (Revisited in 2026)

194: What Real Ownership Freedom Looks Like

193: Owner Thinking vs. Manager Thinking

192: When Growth Breaks the Owner

191: Not All PE Is the Devil

190: Three Moves That Change a Company

189: Why Your Team Isn’t Taking Ownership

188: When the Business Needs You Less (And Why That’s Hard)

187: What Owners Should Be Working On (But Rarely Are)

186: Risk, Control, and Letting Others Decide

185: Why Financial Independence Isn’t the Finish Line

184: The Hard Conversation No CEO Wants to Have

183: The Three Levels of Connection (Revisited in 2026)

182: What Happens When Business Partners Want Out at Different Times?

181: Vision Alignment & Partnership Fit

180: The Owner Hat vs. Employee Hat

179: Operating Agreements & Partnership Structure

178: Demystifying ESOPs with Jason Miller

177: Business Sale Due Diligence: Why Deals Fall Apart (Exit Series · Part 3 of 3)

176: Before You Talk to Buyers: Financial Readiness, Valuation & Buyer Trust (Exit Series · Part 2 of 3)

175: Before You Talk to Buyers: Why Most Business Exits Fail Before They Start (Exit Series · Part 1 of 3)

174: Building Client Relationships That Last

Podcast 森辺一樹のグローバル・マーケティング〜すべてはアジアで売るために〜