Scaling Up Business with Bill Gallagher

Could your business survive a month without you or would it collapse the minute you left?

In this episode, Bill shares a personal story about stepping away from his company for a month-long family trip to Italy—and what it took to make that possible. It’s not just about systems and scorecards (though those matter), but about shifting your leadership style and truly empowering your team. This isn’t a fantasy. It’s a leadership strate...

How do you grow your business and your reputation without faking it?

In this episode, Bill sits down with Ramon Ray, entrepreneur, speaker, and author, to explore how authentic visibility fuels business growth. From meeting the President to selling three companies and pivoting during a pandemic, Ramon shares real stories about showing up, adding value, and becoming your own best brand asset. Whether you're building your first busine...

What if your obsession with “getting it right” is actually making everything harder?

In this short solo episode, Bill unpacks why leaders often resist simplicity, even when the evidence shows that simpler rhythms like daily huddles and weekly meetings drive better execution. He shares a cautionary tale of a team that struggled to implement Scaling Up habits because they were too focused on customizing and controlling every detail. T...

What makes an in-person event truly unforgettable and value-packed for the attendees?

In this episode, Bill sits down with Eric Rozenberg to explore how the best companies use live meetings to create culture, drive alignment, and build momentum. Eric shares insights from producing events for Fortune 500 companies and global brands, and explains how thoughtful, strategic meetings aren’t a luxury, but a very important growth tool. If ...

What if working harder is actually a lie that’s making your business worse?

In this episode, Bill shares a story of a billion-dollar company brought to its knees by a CEO who hustled too hard. What once starts as ambition can quickly turn into micromanagement and business confusion. Bill breaks down why hustle culture is a lie, what it’s really costing you, and how to shift out of this chaotic mode and into something much more susta...

What’s really stopping your team from being more innovative, and how do you fix it?

In this episode, Bill is joined by Dr. Diane Hamilton, author of Cracking the Curiosity Code, to explore why curiosity, not just intelligence or skills, is the real key for innovation, engagement, and performance. Together, they dig into the hidden habits that stifle curiosity in leaders and teams, and how to cultivate a culture that asks better ques...

What if scaling didn’t have to come at the cost of your health, your family, or your sanity?

In this episode, Bill challenges the common held belief that sacrifice is a rite of passage in entrepreneurship, especially during the growth phase. He shares the story of a tech CEO building a $200M company and outlines a four-part framework for scaling your business while also building a life you love. Spoiler: It's not about working harde...

What if the most powerful move you could make as a founder is to stop being the one doing it all?

Today’s episode explores the mindset shift that turns your business from a job into a scalable, valuable system. Bill is joined by legendary entrepreneur and author Michael E. Gerber to discuss why strategically working on the business, not in it, is the single most important shift a founder can make. From designing scripts to building ...

What if your addiction to hustle is the very thing holding your business back?

In this episode, Bill unpacks the hidden addiction that plagues so many leaders: the need to feel busy. He explores how overworking, micromanaging, and always being “on” isn’t just unsustainable, but also a failure of effective leadership. Bill shares powerful stories of CEOs who broke the cycle and built stronger teams by stepping back, letting go, and e...

How can leaders connect their personal purpose with their company's mission?

In today’s episode, Bill talks with leadership coach Ben Renshaw about the importance of discovering your personal why. They also discuss how aligning personal and company purposes can lead to more meaningful leadership and a positive work environment.

Ben Renshaw is a former classical violinist turned leadership coach who’s all about helping people find wha...

What if your relentless hard work is actually costing your business more than it’s helping?

In this episode, Bill explores the hidden costs of overwork, particularly when leaders confuse effort with effectiveness. He shares a cautionary tale of a CEO who pushed too hard, micromanaged excessively, and ultimately failed—highlighting how unchecked hustle undermines both personal well-being and team performance. 

Topics explored in ...

How can leaders create social contracts that foster true team accountability and shared success?

In this episode, Bill and guest Keith Ferrazzi explore the importance of moving beyond traditional leadership towards a model of “teamship,” where teams hold themselves and each other accountable. Keith also shares insights about the power of vulnerability and candor, and practical exercises like the “stress test” to build high-performin...

What are the hidden costs of micromanaging and overworking on team morale and business outcomes?

This episode explores the main reasons why leaders often work too hard, including lack of trust, fear of failure, ego, habit, and being too busy to delegate. Bill argues that overworking is not a badge of honor but rather a sign of inadequate team building. 

Topics explored in this episode: 

(0:26) A Case Study in Micromanage...

What does it really mean for people to feel like they matter in the workplace?

In this episode, Zach Mercurio unpacks why mattering is the missing piece in most workplace cultures and how leaders can foster it. He also explores how a sense of value and contribution drives engagement, innovation, and retention. 

Zach is on a mission to make work and life more meaningful. As an author, researcher, and speaker, he helps leaders cre...

What leadership habits can help your team take more ownership and solve their own problems? In other words, how can you step back in a way that actually makes your business stronger?

In this episode, Bill challenges the hustle culture myth and shares how stepping back, empowering your team, and embracing balance can actually strengthen your company.

Topics explored in this episode: 

(00:16) The Myth of Hustle Culture

* The rea...

How can anyone, regardless of their background, develop lasting confidence?

Confidence isn’t something you’re born with—it’s a skill you build, and Dr. Nate Zinsser has spent his career helping elite athletes, military leaders, and business professionals master it. In this episode, he shares lessons from his work with NFL star Eli Manning, Olympic athletes, and West Point cadets, revealing how anyone can develop unshakable self-beli...

What are the two most important factors for scaling a business?

Scaling a business comes down to two key elements: focus and differentiation. Companies that maintain a clear customer and product focus while emphasizing what sets them apart are more likely to achieve sustainable growth. 

Topics Bill explores in this episode: 

(0:30) Two Critical Factors

- The importance of focus and differentiation in scaling a busines...

What are some practical ways that businesses can optimize their operations with AI?

Scaling a business is tough, but scaling by 300% while dealing with fraud and financial chaos is next-level challenging. In this episode, Gerard Murtagh shares how AI helped his company, MouldMen, navigate rapid growth, uncover fraud, and optimize operations. This conversation is packed with real-world AI applications, leadership lessons, and practic...

When growing your business, how can you differentiate between good advice and bad advice?

In this episode, Bill shares a personal story about taking bad advice that cost him millions. He also explores the importance of timing when raising capital and the difference between surface-level advice and experience-based guidance. 

Topics explored in this episode: 

- Why a “good story” is an opportune time to bring in investors...