In this candid episode, Tom and Adam unpack the emotional rollercoaster of entrepreneurship and why so many business owners feel like they're always starting over. From podcast inspiration to coaching revelations, they discuss the importance of patience, trusting your intuition, and resisting the temptation to constantly compare your journey to others'. They also dive deep into the harsh truth: the grass often looks greener because it's been heavily fertilized — sometimes with a whole lot of crap.

If you’ve ever struggled with staying the course, felt the pressure to pivot, or believed you should be further along, this episode will remind you why the long game matters, how to identify the right kind of fertilizer for your growth, and why building a successful business really does take a decade.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• The Podcast Shift: Listening to a wider variety of podcasts revealed a gap between philosophy and tactical guidance, sparking reflection on what truly adds value — and how that applies to your own business and content creation.

• The Grass is Greener… Because It’s Fertilized: Growth takes fertilizer — aka “the shit” you have to go through. There’s no shortcut to rich, sustainable success. Embrace the grind instead of trying to avoid it.

• Coaching vs. Courses: Clients in coaching programs think long-term. Course-takers often seek immediacy. Each mindset needs different strategies, but both must go through the hard stuff.

• Comparison Kills Progress: When you compare your journey to someone else’s highlight reel, you ignore the foundation they built — framing, wiring, and all. Focus on your build, not their finished product.

• Trust Your Intuition: When comparison takes over, your intuition gets drowned out by ego and insecurity. Your gut knows what’s right — you don’t need permission to follow it.

• Business Takes a Decade: It’s a journey of layers: build, exploit, delegate, and scale. Most people quit too early and restart, losing time instead of gaining ground.

• Stop Chasing 10x Before You’ve Hit 2x: Growth isn’t magic; it’s methodical. You can’t skip the process. Master what you’re already good at before leaping to what’s next.

• Embrace the Bipolar Nature of Business: There will be highs and lows. Don’t let either extreme control your decisions. Learn to ride the waves without crashing.

• Know Who You Are and Why You’re Doing This: Use tools like the Simple Focus System to realign your values, identity, and business goals. Success starts with clarity.

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Explore programs, courses, and coaching at atomicbusinesscoaching.com/course

• Learn more about the Simple Focus System to align who you are with the business you want to build.

👋 Final Thoughts:

If you’re stuck, overwhelmed, or caught in another comparison trap — don’t pivot blindly. Let us help you identify if the “shit” you’re in is worth growing through. You can build something amazing — just make sure it’s yours.

In this episode, Tom and Adam explore one of the biggest mind traps for entrepreneurs and business owners: the pressure to grow constantly. They discuss the value of repetition in learning, the importance of sustainable progress, and why stabilizing your success may be your most strategic move this year. From learning fatigue to cash flow struggles, they cover the mindset shifts and tactical strategies needed to grow smart, not just big.

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🔥 Key Takeaways:

• Repetition is not the enemy. Saying the same message repeatedly, especially when it's valuable, is a sign you're doing it right.

• Learning never ends. As adults, learning feels harder because we carry the ego of “already knowing.” But real growth comes from embracing error correction and constant improvement.

• Stabilization is the new growth. Instead of trying to outgrow your business, focus on sustaining and fully realizing your current level of success.

• Cash flow gaps are normal. But many business owners misuse debt and revolving credit. A line of credit should be gap coverage, not growth fuel.

• Predatory lending warning signs: high interest rates, daily payments, and fees that compound quickly. If the loan terms feel risky or desperate, they probably are.

• Growth vs. Scale: Growth often requires more resources. Scaling uses your current resources more effectively to increase revenue.

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👀 Visual Metaphor of the Day:

Think of your business like sound levels on a mixer board. Cranking them up too fast leads to distortion and noise. The goal is smooth, stable, balanced sound, just like business growth.

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💬 Memorable Quotes:

“If you start sounding like a broken record, you’re probably doing something right.”

“Learning is just error correction—it’s constant improvement.”

“You don’t need to 10x every month. You need to stabilize before you scale.”

“Don’t call it debt—call it gap coverage.”

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👥 Who This Episode Is For:

• Entrepreneurs scaling from early traction to stable revenue

• Business owners battling growth addiction and burnout

• Founders navigating cash flow and financial management

• Coaches and consultants educating others on sustainable business practices

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📢 Call to Action:

Love what you're hearing? Help us help more people!

👉 Share this episode with a fellow business owner

👉 Visit AtomicBusinessCoaching.com to learn more about our coaching, systems, and mindset tools

👉 Stay in the loop and follow us for more episodes, resources, and wisdom

In this insightful episode, Tom and Adam explore the essential role of board meetings in both corporate settings and entrepreneurial ventures. Whether you’re running a billion-dollar organization or operating as a solopreneur, board meetings provide the structured time and space necessary to evaluate your business performance, plan strategically, and make informed decisions.

Drawing from their personal experiences—ranging from corporate boardrooms to coaching clients through their Simple CEO system—the hosts break down how regular board meetings can become a transformative practice that elevates clarity, direction, and leadership.

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📌 Key Takeaways:

✅ 1. Board Meetings Aren’t Just for Big Business

Every business owner should conduct regular board meetings—monthly, quarterly, or annually—to assess progress, identify challenges, and align on future goals.

✅ 2. A Holistic Approach: Business + Owner

Unlike traditional board meetings, Atomic Business Coaching incorporates the well-being and mindset of the business owner, not just business performance. This dual focus provides clarity on how personal habits impact business results.

✅ 3. Eliminate Emotion from Decision-Making

Business owners often make haphazard decisions based on fear, urgency, or lack of clarity. These meetings provide the space to make data-driven, strategic decisions that support long-term growth.

✅ 4. Know Your Numbers

Understanding your financials—profit & loss statements, cash flow, marketing metrics—is critical. Numbers remove emotion and offer objective insight into what’s working and what needs to change.

✅ 5. Tasks vs. Habits

Each board meeting ends with actionable takeaways:

• Tasks to execute immediately

• Habits to build long-term sustainability

✅ 6. Ask Better Questions

Before committing to vendors, services, or hires, understand exactly what you’re receiving. Many poor business decisions stem from unclear expectations and assumptions.

✅ 7. Use Slow Seasons Strategically

Times of reduced business activity are ideal for reflection. Holding a board meeting during these periods allows owners to pivot, reset, and optimize for the future.

✅ 8. Take Ownership of Your Decisions

Failure to assess leads to decisions being made for you—causing stress, burnout, and reactive management. Make time to step away from the day-to-day and regain control.

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💡 Final Thought:

Successful business ownership requires regular reflection, intentional decision-making, and strategic planning. Board meetings provide the structure to do just that. Whether you're leading a team or working solo, taking the time to evaluate where you've been, where you are, and where you’re going is critical to sustained success.

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🔗 Resources & Contact:

• Visit AtomicBusinessCoaching.com to learn how we help business owners make better decisions and build scalable, sustainable companies.

• Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Adam Thomas

Tom Marino

• Follow us on all major platforms @AtomicBusinessCoaching

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🎧 If you found this episode valuable, share it with a fellow business owner who’s ready to move from reactive to strategic leadership.

In this episode, we dive deep into the impact of the Controller saboteur on business owners and their teams. We discuss how a need for control can stifle growth, prevent effective delegation, and create unnecessary stress. We also explore how shifting from a controlling mindset to a curious and open approach can improve leadership and team dynamics. Additionally, we break down the importance of problem-solving in business and how the most successful entrepreneurs embrace challenges rather than avoid them.

Key Takeaways:

• Recognizing Your Saboteurs: Many business owners struggle with the Controller saboteur, which can hinder their ability to delegate, accept feedback, and foster collaboration.

• The Antidote to the Controller Saboteur: Remaining curious and open to learning helps counteract the need for control and allows for better decision-making and team involvement.

• The Impact on Others: Controlling tendencies don’t just affect the individual but also impact employees, stifling their ability to contribute and collaborate effectively.

• Breaking Through Comfort Zones: Business growth requires continuous evolution, stepping out of familiar roles, and embracing new challenges.

• The Transition to Leadership: When business owners finally have an efficient team, they often struggle with their new role, sometimes self-sabotaging by creating unnecessary problems.

• Managing Money Issues: Entrepreneurs often experience financial stress when they stop doing what initially made them successful. Staying focused on revenue-generating activities is crucial.

• The Importance of Problem-Solving: Business is about solving problems. The best entrepreneurs develop systems to assess and address problems efficiently rather than getting overwhelmed.

• Handling Business Transitions: Transitioning from one level of success to the next requires maintaining core business activities while also adapting and growing into new responsibilities.

• Planning for Success: Business owners should anticipate potential challenges and create strategies to handle obstacles as they arise, rather than reacting in crisis mode.

Actionable Steps:

1. Assess Your Saboteurs: Identify if you have controlling tendencies and how they may be impacting your business.

2. Practice Curiosity: Challenge yourself to seek feedback and remain open to learning from others.

3. Empower Your Team: Allow employees to take ownership of their roles so you can focus on strategic growth.

4. Stay Financially Disciplined: Don’t create unnecessary expenses just because your business is growing—stay focused on generating revenue.

5. Embrace the Problem-Solving Mindset: Shift your mindset from “problems are overwhelming” to “problems are opportunities.”

6. Plan for Transitions: Make intentional plans for growth rather than assuming success will continue without change.

Resources & Next Steps:

• Learn more about identifying and overcoming your saboteurs at AtomicBusinessCoaching.com.

• Check out the Simple CEO Program to help you step into your role as a business leader effectively.

• Connect with us on social media for more business insights and coaching tips.

Join the Conversation:

What are your biggest struggles with delegation and control in your business? Share your thoughts with us and let’s discuss strategies to help you grow.

Tune in Next Week!

Be sure to subscribe and join us next week as we continue diving into the mindset shifts and strategies that help business owners succeed!

In this episode, Tom and Adam dive into a common challenge business owners face—achieving success but still operating as if they’re struggling. Many entrepreneurs have built thriving businesses, yet they hesitate to fully embrace their success, still holding onto old fears and habits from when they were starting out.

Using an insightful “new computer” analogy, they break down why some business owners metaphorically leave their new, upgraded system in the box, afraid to use the resources and time they’ve worked so hard to earn. They also explore how stress and uncertainty can trigger default behaviors, causing business owners to revert to outdated mindsets.

Tom and Adam also discuss the importance of communication in partnerships—both in business and at home. They highlight how many entrepreneurs fail to align expectations with their spouses, families, and business partners, leading to unnecessary friction. The conversation touches on why business growth requires not just internal change, but also open dialogue and recalibrated relationships with those around you.

Key Takeaways:

✅ You’ve built it, now use it! Many entrepreneurs have grown their businesses but still act as if they’re struggling. It’s time to open the metaphorical "new computer" and leverage your success.

✅ Default mode vs. upgraded mode: Stress often makes business owners revert to outdated habits. Recognizing this can help prevent self-sabotage.

✅ The power of expectations: Unspoken expectations can cause frustration—both in business and personal relationships. Clear communication is key!

✅ Permission vs. forgiveness: Too many business owners make big decisions without consulting their partners and then ask for forgiveness later. Proactive communication prevents unnecessary conflict.

✅ Entrepreneurs and communication challenges: Business owners need to adapt their outreach methods and recognize that different clients prefer different ways of communication.

Mentioned in This Episode:

🔹 5WH Simple Selling System: A comprehensive course to help business owners master sales, prospecting, and overcoming limiting beliefs. Limited-time offer: $499! Learn more here

🔹 FirstM Community: A mastermind network built for entrepreneurs who want to support and be supported.

🔹 Atomic Business Coaching 1:1 Coaching: Personalized coaching for select business owners ready for next-level success.

Connect With Us:

🌐 Website: AtomicBusinessCoaching.com

🔗 Follow Us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook

If you found this episode valuable, don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review! 🎧

In this episode, Tom Marino and Adam Hurd dive into the psychology behind common business challenges, from overused phrases that drive them crazy to deeper discussions on financial management, mindset shifts, and the long game of sales. They break down why some business owners struggle with cash flow, how a lack mindset leads to financial missteps, and why investing in yourself is crucial for long-term success. Plus, they challenge the way people approach networking, sales, and social media engagement, revealing the key differences between opportunity and your opportunity.

Key Takeaways:

• The Problem with "I'm Excited About" and Overused Words: Why default phrases may signal a lack of true emotional expression and how to be more intentional with language.

• Money Mindset & Cash Flow Challenges: The psychology behind financial mismanagement in business and why some entrepreneurs struggle with paying themselves, payroll, and reserves.

• The Emotional Side of Money: How business owners can remove emotion from financial decision-making and move towards a fact-based, strategic approach.

• Planning for Payroll & Avoiding Last-Minute Panic: The reality of cash flow planning and why business owners need to prepare weeks in advance, not days.

• The Sales Process & The LinkedIn Mistake: Why people misunderstand social media as a selling tool instead of a conduit for conversations and relationship-building.

• The Swipe-Left, Swipe-Right Sales Approach: How the online dating mindset has infiltrated networking and why rushing the process leads to failure.

• Building a Business You Actually Believe In: Why many entrepreneurs aren’t fully aligned with what they’re doing and how that affects success.

• Investing in the "S&M 500": The importance of continually learning, growing, and investing in yourself as a business owner.

• Announcing the 5W-H Selling System Course: A new, efficient, and effective way to master selling, prospecting, and mindset management with Tom Marino and Adam Hurd’s latest course offering.

Notable Quotes:

• "You can’t take a shit, take a shower, brush your teeth, and get dressed at the same time—yet people try to run their businesses that way."

• "You have to invest in the S&M 500—yourself. If you're not learning and growing, you're falling behind."

• "LinkedIn and social media aren’t selling platforms. They’re bridges to conversations. Treat them that way."

• "Is it an opportunity, or is it your opportunity? Knowing the difference changes everything."

• "If you’re a business owner, there’s no room for victim mentality. You have to take ownership of every challenge."

Action Steps for Listeners:

1. Audit your language—are you using default phrases instead of genuine emotion?

2. Take a hard look at your financial habits—are you planning ahead, or just hoping it works out?

3. Evaluate your sales approach—are you rushing relationships, or building meaningful connections?

4. Reflect on your business alignment—are you doing what truly drives you?

5. Check out the 5W-H Selling System Course for a structured way to improve your sales strategy and mindset.

Resources & Links:

• 5W-H Selling System Course (Coming Soon)

• Connect with Tom Marino & Adam Hurd on LinkedIn: Tom's Profile | Adam's Profile

• Subscribe & leave a review if you enjoyed this episode

In this episode, we return to our roots with a free-flowing conversation, tackling some of the biggest mindset shifts necessary for success in business and life. If you've ever felt stuck in your business, struggled with limiting beliefs, or found yourself trapped in familiar but unhelpful habits, this episode is for you.

We dive deep into the importance of seeing opportunities beyond what’s immediately in front of you, breaking free from scarcity mindsets, and thinking like a true business owner. Through real-life client examples and candid discussion, we uncover the patterns that hold people back and explore strategies to break through to the next level.

Key Takeaways:

• The Power of Expanding Possibilities: Many people feel stuck because they only see the opportunities they’ve already identified. The key is to widen your scope and consider new directions.
• Breaking the Scarcity Mindset: Some business owners unknowingly revert to financial fear and limitation, even when they’re successful. Recognizing and reframing these limiting beliefs is essential.
• Familiarity as a Comfort Zone: We often cling to negative situations simply because they feel familiar. Growth happens when we embrace the unfamiliar and explore new territory.
• Think Like a Business Owner: Success isn’t just about skills—it’s about shifting your mindset. Learning to think like a true business owner changes the way you approach challenges and opportunities.
• Addition by Subtraction: Solving problems isn’t always about adding more; sometimes, the best solution is to remove what's not working and simplify.
• Selling and Growth Strategies: Instead of adding more tactics, consider removing noise and focusing on high-impact actions for business success.

Who Should Listen?

• Entrepreneurs feeling stuck in their growth journey
• Business owners struggling with limiting beliefs
• Professionals looking to shift from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset
• Anyone looking for actionable insights on personal and business growth

Tune In Now! Don’t miss this insightful conversation that could change the way you see your business and your potential. Listen now on your favorite podcast platform!

Welcome to Episode 101 of the Atomic Business Coaching Podcast! If you tuned in last week, you caught our milestone 100th episode. Today, we’re kicking off a fresh chapter with a special guest: Carson Hoffman. Carson recently completed the 5WH process and gained incredible insights into his business, himself, and entrepreneurial journey.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✅ The Journey Through 5WH: Carson shares his experience navigating the 5WH process over the past few months and how it provided clarity not just in business, but in life.

✅ Finding Purpose in Business: Why true business success is about more than just revenue—it’s about aligning with your purpose and falling in love with your own company.

✅ Building a CEO Mindset: The impact of commitment, effort, and obsession in growing a business and how Carson exemplifies these traits.

✅ Overcoming Sales Fears: Carson discusses how understanding his who, what, when, where, and why has transformed his confidence in selling and removed the stress of closing deals.

✅ Prospecting with Precision: How Carson now focuses on finding the right clients instead of just any clients and why qualifying potential customers is a game-changer.

✅ The Power of Saying No: Understanding that not every client is the right fit, and how the ability to say “no” can be one of the most powerful tools in business.

✅ The Freedom of Entrepreneurship: A deep dive into the mindset shift of not chasing “retirement” but instead designing a life of freedom and fulfillment right now.

✅ Lessons from Advertising & Brand Growth: Carson’s insights on how to create memorable ads that connect with audiences and why authenticity is key to marketing success.

Key Takeaways:

• Clarity in business starts with clarity in yourself.

• Sales become easier when you deeply understand your brand’s who, what, when, where, and why.

• Prospecting is about finding your people, not just any people.

• Business success is about choosing freedom over waiting for retirement.

• The power of no allows you to work with the right clients and grow on your terms.

Connect with Carson:

🔹 LinkedIn & Instagram: @CarsonBHoffman

🔹 Company: Kingsman Marketing

Final Words of Wisdom:

“Don’t let the fear of failure outweigh the goals of success.” Carson Hoffman

Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review, share it with a friend, and subscribe to stay updated on future episodes.