Independence by Design™

Independence by Design™ is a framework to help owner-operators get out of the weeds and lead from the boardroom. I built it because I lived this trap. In 2009, I...more

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Latest Episodes

#432: Why More Growth Won’t Set You Free (And What Will) with Nick Bradley

March 13, 2025

#432: Why More Growth Won’t Set You Free (And What Will) with Nick Bradley

More revenue, more employees, and more complexity can actually pull you deeper into the day-to-day grind—unless your business is structured the right way.  Watch...

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01:45:46

#431: Turning Crisis into a Scalable ESOP with Heather Braimbridge-Cox and Bill Mills

March 06, 2025

#431: Turning Crisis into a Scalable ESOP with Heather Braimbridge-Cox and Bill Mills

Many business owners dream of building a company that thrives without them, but few understand what it takes to make that a reality—especially when...

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01:38:06

#430: Cash vs. Valuation: Why Entrepreneurs Get Trapped in the Wrong Financial Metrics with Patrick Donohue

February 27, 2025

#430: Cash vs. Valuation: Why Entrepreneurs Get Trapped in the Wrong Financial Metrics with Patrick Donohue

I’ve spent the last handful of episodes diving deep into business valuations, M&A jargon, and how buyers think about value. But here’s the thing—most...

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01:26:08

#429: How to Engineer Business Value: Scaling Smart, Hiring Right, and Creating Freedom with Rens Hayes

February 20, 2025

#429: How to Engineer Business Value: Scaling Smart, Hiring Right, and Creating Freedom with Rens Hayes

Most business owners go through a pivotal moment—their first real look behind the curtain at how buyers value companies. For Rens Hayes, that moment...

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01:40:27

#428: Cutting Through the Noise: Why Free Cash Flow Is the Only Metric That Matters with Ken Sanginario

February 13, 2025

#428: Cutting Through the Noise: Why Free Cash Flow Is the Only Metric That Matters with Ken Sanginario

In a world full of business jargon and complicated metrics, free cash flow stands out as the foundation of value creation for both owner-operators...

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01:20:13

#427: Navigating Deal Structures: The Hidden Factors That Impact Your Net Proceeds with Dave Diehl

February 06, 2025

#427: Navigating Deal Structures: The Hidden Factors That Impact Your Net Proceeds with Dave Diehl

Most business owners focus on the offer price when selling their business—but the deal structure is what ultimately determines how much you walk away...

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01:22:10