Independence by Design™
Get out of the day-to-day without blowing up your business, your cash flow, or your life — and finally build something that lasts without you, and because of you. Hey there, I’m Ryan Tansom. I created the Independence by Design™ Framework to help owner-operators like you get unstuck, think like an owner, and build a business that works for you — not the other way around. I know the trap firsthand. In 2009, I joined my family’s $21M company when it was losing nearly $1M a year. We turned it around and sold it for eight figures. But I gutted the business in the process, and paid over 50% in taxes. That exit left me asking: What was the point of all that stress if I didn’t have a real plan for my time, wealth, or future? That question launched a decade of deep work. I’ve coached thousands of owners through the same inflection point, helping them gain clarity, scale with purpose, and build businesses they don’t need to escape from. On this podcast, I’ll show you how to use the Independence by Design™ Framework to make better decisions, reclaim your time, and grow true equity value — whether you want to stay, scale, or eventually step away. I’ll bring in some of the sharpest minds I know — like Gino Wickman, Chris Voss, Jack Stack, and Bo Burlingham — to challenge your thinking and fuel your strategy. If you’re tired of being the bottleneck, buried in the weeds, or unsure how your decisions affect the bigger picture… this is your playbook. This is the show I wish I had when I have our company.You can find earlier episodes (from the Intentional Growth™ archive) on my Ryan Tansom YouTube channel
Episodes
If you’re trying to grow your business without creating a mess of misaligned incentives, resentment, or comp plans that backfire—this episode is for you. I brought Jennifer Davis back on because she built one of the most intentional compensation systems I’ve ever seen. We walk through how she tied her company’s mission and KPIs directly to each person’s comp—and connected it all th...
What if the success you're chasing isn't the final destination, but the beginning of something more?
Watch on YouTube
Most business owners I talk to know AI matters—but many are still stuck thinking it’s just for writing emails or something their IT team should handle. That’s not the game we’re playing.
What if the success you're chasing isn't the final destination, but the beginning of something more?
Watch on YouTube
This episode is the natural continuation of last week's conversation with Jean Moncrieff, the new leader of the Small Giants Community. But today, we go back to the source to get the full o...
What does it actually mean to build a company that lasts?
Watch on YouTube
Not just one that grows. Not just one that sells. But one that thrives beyond the founder—because it was built with values at the core.
In this episode, I’m joined by Jean Moncrieff, an entrepreneur, coach...
This episode is different. No guest. No business mechanics. Just me, reading from my journal and unpacking the questions that have been driving my work, my life, and everything behind Independence by Design™.
Watch on YouTube
A few questions have been front and center for me since my first memories. Why are we here? Wh...
Jennifer Davis is the co-founder and former CEO of Davisware, a vertical ERP platform she and her husband started at 17. Over two decades, they scaled it to $20M+ in revenue, built a team of over 200, and sold to private equity. She’s also the mother of ten kids and the author of two books, including Living Exponentially.
Watch on YouTube...
What’s happening in the M&A market right now? Who’s buying, who’s selling, and how should owners think about timing, value, and optionality?
Watch on YouTube
In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Buettner from ButcherJoseph, an investment banker who specializes in founder-led companies in the lower mid...
Most owners rely on gut instinct, advisors, or market trends to make decisions, but few stop to ask: What’s actually happening underneath the economy?
Watch on YouTube
In this episode, I’m joined by Joe Brown—creator of Heresy Financial—for a macroeconomic breakdown that actually makes sense for business owners. We unp...
We’ve all heard it: “Pick one thing. Focus. Go all in.” But what if that advice doesn’t apply once you’ve built real optionality?
Watch on YouTube
In this episode, I’m joined by Mark Cleveland—an experienced entrepreneur, investor, and self-described parallel entrepreneur—to rethink how owners can design ...
If you're running a mid-sized company and considering acquisitions—or you just want to understand how smaller companies get valued—this episode is for you.
Watch on YouTube
I sat down with Clint Fiore, a business broker who’s helped hundreds of Main Street businesses try to sell. And here’s the truth: most of them don’...
You’ve probably heard that business valuation is more art than science. But what if the art is just smoke and mirrors—and the science has been hiding in plain sight all along?
Watch on YouTube
In this episode, I’m joined by Graham Stephen and Kyle McCulloch, the team behind Bizval, a company that’s quietly building a t...
What happens when the business you built no longer protects you from the parts of yourself you've been avoiding? Alex McClafferty co-founded and sold WP Curve to GoDaddy—but it wasn’t until after the exit that he found himself face-to-face with an identity crisis, emotional collapse, and a brutal confrontation with his shadow self.
Watch ...
What really happens when an entrepreneur sells their business? For John Rood, it was the start of a deeply personal reckoning with identity, purpose, risk, and time. In this episode, we go beyond the typical exit story and talk about what it actually feels like to step away from the company you built—and what comes next when you’re no longer busy, no longer...
This episode is fire. Elliott Holland is a straight shooter who has seen hundreds of deals from every angle—searcher, investor, operator, and QofE provider. In this conversation, we cut through the noise to talk about what’s really going on in the acquisition market, why most self-funded searchers fail, and how owners can actually position their business (and themselves) for the ne...
Most business owners are exhausted by marketing that feels like a black box—random tactics, disconnected agencies, and no clear ROI. Kim Clark knows that pain—and she’s built the solution. As the former head of sales and marketing at ITR Economics, Kim helped transform the business from a founder-led consulting firm into a scalable company that exited at eight figures—without relyi...
This episode sets the bar. Pat Hobby, my former business partner, is one of the best CFOs I’ve ever worked with. He’s not just a CPA or an operator—he brings an investor mindset and decades of experience managing financials with the purpose of building long-term value. In this conversation, we break down exactly what a business owner should expect from a high-performing CFO—and why...
Many owner-operators begin their journey driven by the vision of personal and financial independence, only to find themselves entrenched in the daily operations, unable to step away without fear of chaos. In this episode, I talk with Rob Dube, co-founder of ImageOne and visionary behind The 10 Disciplines for Managing and Maximizing Your Energy™, about how to break free from the ow...
Today I'm talking with Shannon Susko, a serial entrepreneur who developed the 3HAG (3-Year Highly Achievable Goal) and Metronomics frameworks. What sets Shannon's approach apart is how directly it connects your strategic plan and execution rhythms to clear, measurable financial outcomes. It's an operating system built specifically for business owners who un...
SBA loans have always been a key tool for financing business acquisitions, but recent changes have opened up new opportunities for both buyers and sellers. If you're thinking about selling your business, acquiring one, or financing a transition, these updates could have a major impact on your strategy.
In this episode, I sit ...
The economy is shifting fast, and if you’re a middle-market business owner, the moves you make today will define your future—whether that’s navigating capital markets, securing financing, or making critical reinvestment decisions.
Watch on YouTube
In this Quarterly Economic & M&A Update, I bring together three powerhouse guests to give you real-tim...
Popular Podcasts
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.