October 16, 2025 • 36 mins
Danielle Mulvey's entrepreneurial journey begins in Nashville, where early roots shaped her Maverick mindset. From founding her first agency to taking risks that most would shy away from, she carved her own path with bold decisions and relentless drive. That spirit would ultimately fuel her transition from scrappy beginnings to leading multiple companies valued at over $50 million—all while working just ten hours a week.
A defining lesson came from the infamous “Larry” mishire, which taught Danielle the cost of compromising on talent. Out of that experience grew her unwavering standard for five-star employees, backed by objective assessments and scorecards instead of traditional resumes. This shift not only elevated her team’s performance but also transformed company culture, margins, and her own time freedom.
Her discipline didn’t stop at people—it extended to money. Adopting Profit First gave Danielle financial clarity, stronger partnerships, and the ability to scale without chaos. Pairing this with daily huddles kept her teams aligned, accountable, and agile, enabling fast course corrections that protected momentum and morale. Mapping ideal weeks became another tool to accelerate onboarding and embed focus into daily operations.
Looking ahead, Danielle is doubling down on her mission to revolutionize hiring. With Five-Star Central, she envisions replacing resume-driven roulette with smarter, skills-based matching that could one day unseat Indeed. Along the way, mentors, peer forums, and collaborations with leaders like Mike Michalowicz (on All In) have sharpened her strategies. Danielle’s story is a playbook on scaling smarter—proving that the right people, processes, and priorities can create extraordinary results with far less grind.
Please visit www.internationalfacilitatorsorganization.com to learn more about Mo Fathelbab and International Facilitators Organization (IFO), a leading provider of facilitators and related group facilitation services, providing training, certification, marketing services, education, and community for peer group facilitators at all stages of their career.
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Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_01 (00:10):
Welcome to the Heart of Business Podcast.
I'm your host, Mo Fatalbab,president and founder of IFO,
International FacilitatorsOrganization.
And we are here to create greatpeer groups all over the world
because we believewholeheartedly they change
lives.
And it is a pleasure today tohave an amazing guest on the
(00:31):
show.
She has had multiple businessesdo over$50 million in annual
revenue.
But get this, she only spends 10hours a week overseeing the
operations of those businesses.
And thanks to her magical teamsof five-star employees.
Welcome to the show, DanielleMalvey.
Hello, Danielle.
SPEAKER_00 (00:51):
Hello, Mo.
It's so great to see you.
SPEAKER_01 (00:54):
Great to see you.
How are you today?
SPEAKER_00 (00:57):
I'm doing fabulous.
Fabulous, fabulous.
Excited to be here and excitedto chat with you.
SPEAKER_01 (01:02):
Wonderful.
So, Danielle, you've got a greatstory, and I'm I'm captivated by
how you have gotten so manybusinesses to run without you,
which is a trick that a lot ofCEOs uh certainly struggle with.
But I want to start from thebeginning.
Uh, so tell us where you grew upand what what childhood was
like.
SPEAKER_00 (01:22):
Okay.
So I grew up in SouthernCalifornia, specifically Orange
County.
And um I knew since I was alittle girl that I wanted to go
out of state to school.
Now that's the big thing.
But back when I went out ofstate to school, it was pretty
unusual.
And um I remember telling myfriends I was gonna go to
Vanderbilt University.
Um, this is like circa, youknow, early 90s, and they're
(01:46):
like, you're going to learn howto make jeans?
They had never heard ofVanderbilt.
They thought I was going to theGloria Vanderbilt School of
Fashion Gene making.
I don't know.
So um I uh I went to Vanderbilt,uh, graduated from there, and uh
ended up with a degree um inpolitical science and
communication studies and um andand settled in Nashville and
(02:10):
started my first business at theripe old age of 25.
Um and Nashville was such anamazing community.
I don't I don't live there now,so I speak of it in the past
tense, but um it was one degreeof separation.
And so I was able to start abusiness.
It was very entrepreneurial andyou know, everyone was was about
connecting.
(02:30):
And actually that's where we metbecause I joined um back then it
was YEO.
That's right.
It was young entrepreneurs.
You had to be under 40, and thenthen they had to change that.
Um, so yes, uh, so so I joinedYEO uh YEO, yeah, I said it
right, um, in in in in 2000.
(02:50):
So yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (02:51):
Amazing.
And what business was thatbusiness?
SPEAKER_00 (02:53):
So that was uh an advertising and marketing
agency.
Um, so and we specialized inworking with um companies and in
the jewelry industry andhigh-ticket items, um cars and
um and homes.
So that was our that was ourniche.
SPEAKER_01 (03:10):
And tell us how you got started in that business.
SPEAKER_00 (03:13):
Uh I worked at an my first job was at an advertising
and marketing agency.
This is gonna be awkward to toto recount.
Um, when I started with them,they had about 65 employees.
Fast forward about 12 monthslater, and it was down to 15
employees.
It was just this weirdcraziness, and um, and everyone
(03:39):
was running for the hills.
I tried to run for the hills twoprior times and they threw more
money at me.
And the third time that I wantedto run for the hills, I I just
was like, you you can't youcan't bribe me to stay.
Like I just can't.
SPEAKER_01 (03:52):
There's not enough money to keep me here, huh?
SPEAKER_00 (03:54):
Yeah, yeah.
But um, you know, I mean, it wasit just there was some weird
things going on and such, butlovely people and people that
I'm still dear friends withtoday and such.
Um, but uh so so when I leftthere, um a a client came to me
and said, Okay, you were ourfourth account executive in the
(04:17):
last year, but you were the bestone.
Could you um, you know, tocontinue our business and such?
Because let's just say the otherbusiness um folded pretty
quickly after after I left.
Not that I was keeping ittogether, but um, so so so
that's how I started with thatbusiness.
And then it just kind of pickedon from there.
(04:39):
Um, and uh, and and we were theMaverick group.
So we were very, very Maverickoriented and and we attracted
bit clients that had a Mavericksort of mindset too, or a
Maverick kind of approach withregards to their businesses.
SPEAKER_01 (04:54):
So I love that word and uh and it speaks a lot to
you know the spirit ofentrepreneurship that I'm that
we're so familiar with.
Um why why did you pick thatword yourself and what does it
mean to you?
SPEAKER_00 (05:07):
Well, I was just um, even though I only spent about a
year in the traditionaladvertising and marketing
agency, I just felt that it theywere still this agency was
founded in the 60s, and itseemed like they were still
doing things like the 60s um inin in in the 90s.
And so um I just you know, Idon't know if maybe I was young,
(05:33):
and obviously marketing andadvertising has changed
significantly from those days.
But I mean, this was still alittle bit like they were still
living in the madmen era back atthis agency and such.
And um, so you know, I just knewthat things were gonna be
different.
So things that we did that justkind of like shocked me today,
and and actually I was I wasgoing through some stuff.
Um, but like we um we we createda a testimonial booth actually,
(05:58):
um, and uh with a with a fellowum YEOer who had a had a tech
company, we created a boothwhere uh we could capture
testimonials from customersinside the showroom of of a of a
of an automotive dealership andsuch.
And so, because we were usingthose testimonials for um, and
this is, you know, I'm sorry,but I think this is before Yelp
(06:21):
and before like really kind oftestimonials and and that kind
of thing took took took up andsuch.
So we were always kind of aheadof things.
We had one client called PlumpGood Foods, it was like DoorDash
uh and and Instacart, but in2001, 2001, right?
You know, and it's so justthings, things ahead of its
(06:44):
time.
So it's just it kind of it itjust it just worked.
And and I feel like that's youknow, kind of the what what I'm
working on right now is you knowsomething that's going to
replace indeed.
So, you know, I like to think ofmyself as a maverick and just
kind of trying to like look athow to make things better.
SPEAKER_01 (07:00):
Yeah.
Well, I want to get into whatwe're gonna do that's gonna
replace Indeed.
But before we get there, um, soyou started your first business
and a success from day one.
Did you have any struggles alongthe way?
SPEAKER_00 (07:13):
Um, oh, I had some struggles um for sure.
So I was lucky with my first fewhires, but there was one Monday
morning, it was definitely aMonday morning, and I woke up
and instead of springing out ofbed, I rolled over, put my head
under my pillow, and askedmyself, can I call in fake sick
(07:34):
to my own company?
Because I didn't want to faceanother week with Larry, Larry,
Larry, Larry, just the sayinghis name brings back PTSD.
You know, it was it was amishire that I made.
And he made me miserable.
He um made his fellow colleaguesmiserable, and you know, I
(07:56):
didn't call out fake sick thatday, but um I resolved myself to
take three immediate actionsthat day.
Number one, Larry was moved toalumni status ASAP, meaning that
was his last day.
Um, and and and number two, Idecided that I needed to stop,
excuse my French, half-assing myhiring.
(08:17):
Um, you know, I was going off ofanecdotal things that I would
hear from people.
Oh, if you'd like to um, youknow, go go go and have a beer
at happy hour with them afterwork, that's that's someone that
you'd want to hire, someone thatthat means they're like you.
Um, oh, referrals, get referralsfrom people and hire referrals
because then they've alreadydone the vetting and such.
(08:38):
And I and that no, that does notwork, guys.
And I'm sure everyone here hastried that too and realizes,
okay, yeah, not not so hot.
So I resolve myself to go all inand really figure out like how
to not make these this thishigher type of hiring mistake
again.
Um, and then number three, Ijust also said, I'm not gonna
(08:59):
settle.
So it's it's it's it's about notnot settling for mediocre or
average and setting the bar.
And I I settled with Larry fortoo long and I let him stay too
long in the organization.
Um, and you know, I I wastalking to someone the other
day, and and oftentimes peoplethink, oh, well, you know, we'll
(09:22):
just kind of make it moremiserable for them that they
self-select themselves out andsuch.
But sometimes they don't reallyget the message.
Um, and and so, you know, I wasI in terms of never settling,
like now it's just like I set abar, and if you don't meet the
bar, like you're not gonna gethired or you know, you're you're
(09:44):
gonna go out.
Because I think the challengethat companies have, um, and we
grew pretty quickly at theMaverick Group, is that just
because you hired someone whenyou started out, you know, as
you grow and you you pass, youknow, three million dollars,
five million dollars, etc., thatperson might not grow with the
(10:05):
organization.
And you might need to replacethem with someone who has
experience in an organizationthat's doing 10, 12 million
dollars.
And because it's a different,it's a it's a it's a different
game, it's a different set, andnothing lasts forever.
That's I think something that umpeople hiring managers just kind
(10:28):
of want to hire someone and andand and have loyalty forever.
And that's not fair to to to toto people in general.
SPEAKER_01 (10:38):
It's not fair to them, it's not fair to the
company.
SPEAKER_00 (10:40):
Yeah, yeah.
So I think it's having a a goodmindset about what's what what's
realistic um in terms of interms of your talent management.
SPEAKER_01 (10:51):
And so the Maverick Group was your first business,
and is that business still upand running, or did you No, no,
that one that one isn't.
SPEAKER_00 (10:57):
So we uh we actually went in-house um with one of our
clients um when uh when Istarted having children.
And um, and then uh my job therewas to help that company get
acquired um in five years.
We did it in three years, and itwas acquired by Division United
Healthcare for$250 million.
(11:18):
And um so uh then uh we movedback to California in um 2009,
and I um my husband and I umstarted uh a couple of
businesses in 2010 that we stillhave today, and then we've we've
added other businesses.
So those businesses we startedin 2010, one is a construction
(11:38):
material supply company, andanother one processes long-term
care claims.
So um, we don't have eggs in onebasket, and then um, and then
and then today I have um aconsulting business, and then uh
we have uh the five-staremployee hiring system and the
all-in company.
So we've got a lot, a lot goingon and and a lot of great teams.
SPEAKER_01 (11:58):
And I, you know, I I would just guess that this very
strict hiring protocol that youput into place has a very direct
correlation to your ability totrust your team, to your ability
to have uh 10 hours of work withwith several$50 million
businesses.
Um and of course, you you had toyou had to really change
(12:22):
something about yourself alongthe way.
Uh, can you talk us through thata little bit?
SPEAKER_00 (12:27):
Yeah, you know, it was really changing my mindset
of I think when you start abusiness, you're you you have a
vision and you're very umcontrolling about that.
And you you tend to think thatno one can do it like you, no
one can do it better than you,and and it's only you.
And I was sort of like kind offrustrated, and and I realized
(12:54):
after after Larry that that Icould only grow as good as I
could grow my team.
And I had lofty aspirations togrow.
And um, and and so along thispath, I have um recognized that
(13:15):
I can find people and I and Iand I and I can identify great
people and great talent byputting some effort into it.
You know, most people arehalf-assing their hiring, and
when you half-ass your hire, Isay you get a half-ass employee,
like you get someone who's okayfor the role.
(13:36):
But when you go all in on yourhiring and and you really
understand exactly what youneed, exactly what you're
looking for, then you've you youyou find that person.
And it's not about trying tosqueeze a square peg into a
round hole role.
You know, if you're if you ifyou're hiring someone and say,
(13:56):
well, we'll see how this worksout in 90 days, you've already
made a bad hire.
If that's your mindset goinginto it, because you should make
a hire and you should be ahundred percent confident that
this is the best candidate forthe role who's going to knock it
out of the park because theymeet the five criteria of on the
five-star employee scorecard.
SPEAKER_01 (14:17):
So I love that.
I love that.
So uh along your story here, Ipicked up that you work with
your husband, and uh, I knowthat can be really challenging.
What have been your tricks andand tips for making that work
effectively and and notchallenging your relationship?
SPEAKER_00 (14:35):
Well, you know what, I will say that um uh and and we
we both we both we both arefriends with Mike Mikalowitz,
but I think that that that whenwe implemented Profit First in
our businesses, that helpedeverything because the thing
that you most disagree about ishow the money is running in the
(14:58):
business and such.
And so um, you know, he had hisopinions, I had my opinions when
I found Profit First, I justgobbled that book up and um and
and geeked out about it, andthen he read it and we agreed
that it wasn't gonna be myopinion or his opinion, we were
gonna implement the the systemin place.
So I think Profit First is agreat um for for for people who
(15:23):
are married, or even if you havea business partner, it just
gives clarity to to to the cashin your business, um, and it
gives intention and purpose tothe cash in your business.
And you know, cash is king in inyour businesses and such.
So um, so I think that thatreally helped.
And then it was sort of like,you know, his lane and my lane.
(15:44):
So um he is sales, and I am likebehind behind the scenes in
operations and um uh and andmarketing, et cetera, and such.
And so um, and then I think alsotoo having the daily huddle um
every morning with the entireteam just keeps everyone on the
(16:06):
same page.
And there's transparency,there's accountability.
So not, you know, accountabilityfrom the owners to the to each
other, as well as accountabilitywith with employees and such.
So um I think that profit first,you know, all things, all good
things that come from from fromfrom my EO days, um, profit
(16:28):
first and and and and and huddand daily huddles, um really uh
and that and that's that's toohow I can run these businesses
in 10 hours a week because I popinto the daily huddles.
I have a pulse on the businessevery day.
And if there's something that'ssort of like going, you know, in
in in a different direction, Ican pull it back in and redirect
(16:52):
the team or the individual thathas on their plate of the three
things they're gonna do today,something that is, you know, not
not not not not gonna have theimpact that we need for their
time in that day.
So, you know, and that kind ofgoes back to I understand how
what my people need to be doingduring the day.
(17:13):
So it's too often people makehires and leave the employees to
their own devices and their ownfigure it out kind of thing and
stuff.
And um, when we make a hire,we've already mapped out, hey,
here's what your ideal weeklooks like.
And and and it's blocked out andit is a schedule and and they
(17:36):
can see it.
And so they it and so it reallyalso helps when you're
onboarding people because it'slike let's get you into getting
this, you know, doing thesethings in this schedule as
quickly as possible.
Um, and so you know, when wehave a hire, they're hitting the
ground running at 50 miles anhour and they're going 100 miles
an hour in a couple of weeks,not three months or six months,
(17:59):
you know.
SPEAKER_01 (18:00):
So well, I'm starting to see uh how you might
create a product that uhcompetes with indeed.
So tell us more about that ifyou can.
SPEAKER_00 (18:09):
Yeah.
So, you know, um again, thingsjust resumes, number one, are so
1950s.
Um, and tragically, now they canbe AI's.
So a candidate can take a jobdescription and um that they've
applied to or that they want toapply to and AI their resume.
And so most companies are kindof judging candidates, I very
(18:34):
subjectively off of the resume.
And just just because someonesays they can do it doesn't mean
that they can do it.
Um, and then the system's alsobroken because um candidates are
having to tediously apply toindividual jobs, even if they're
on indeed, they're still havingto go through and and find the
(18:56):
jobs that they want to apply toand such, and they have to, you
know, go through whatever thosecompanies want them to do to
apply for the job.
So um, and and and again,candidates are being looked at
and and judged very subjectivelyuh by by by people who are
(19:16):
half-assing their hiring tobegin with.
And, you know, I mean, I'veheard from from HR managers who,
you know, uh they have they havesomeone at a department head
who's desperate to make a hire.
It's like, I need this jobposted now.
So they'll post the job, andthen you know, over the course
of of week, a couple of weeks,they'll get a hundred resumes,
(19:36):
and then that hiring manager'sdone nothing with it.
And and and now they'reoverwhelmed with over a hundred
resumes and they only look atthe they only look at 20, and
then they go from there.
And that is so unfair to the 100applicants that you had.
And and it's just it's a it's abroken, it's an old system, and
there's technology now, guys,that can that can do this much
(19:58):
better.
So, so so so what we have is umis is we're launching five star
central.
And so what five star centraldoes is it allows candidates to
come in and take an assessment.
Um, and they take oneassessment, and then employers
come in, and for each role thatthey're hiring for, we help them
(20:21):
set a benchmark for their idealcandidate for each role.
So um when when what happensthen is when a candidate takes
an assessment and we haveemployers, we're able to match
where people meet the benchmarkfor the different roles that are
out there.
So we're using technology, we'reusing automation, we are making
(20:43):
this way, way, way moreefficient.
And we're being objective,completely objective, because
the assessment is assessing acandidate's abilities, their
motivations, their personality,their work fit, their team fit.
Um, you know, is this someonewho's better in office or
remote?
Um, is this someone who prefersa fixed salary or commission and
(21:04):
bonus?
So it's it's it's it's able toassess on so many factors that
most companies are are missingwhen it comes to making hiring
decisions.
SPEAKER_01 (21:17):
Amazing.
When can I start using it?
SPEAKER_00 (21:20):
Well, you can start using it now.
Um, and and and we have we havea way that that that we're using
it now on on the employer side.
Um so you can go to five staremployee hiring system.com, the
number five star employee hiringsystem.com, um, to to to check
that out.
SPEAKER_01 (21:39):
All right, wonderful.
And now I'd love to know moreabout what you're doing uh with
Michael McAllowicks, if youcould tell us.
SPEAKER_00 (21:45):
Oh yes, yes, yes.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Um, so uh well I I I became sucha nerd and such a fan of Profit
First that I actually became thehost of of the official Profit
First podcast, Profit FirstNation.
So um if uh if if you want togeek out over Profit First, join
us at Profit First Nation.
(22:07):
Um, but then uh what's what'sinteresting about the whole
Profit First thing is that uhwhen we when we looked at why
are people still struggling withtheir profitability, because
there's only two ways toincrease profitability decrease
expenses and andor increasemargin, their expenses, their
biggest expense item is payroll.
(22:28):
And so when you have mediocreemployees, that's dragging down
your payroll, that's inflatingyour payroll unnecessarily, and
that is killing yourprofitability.
One five-star employee does thework of two or three, one, two,
and three-star employees.
So uh, you know, Mike's booksare all about an evolution of
(22:51):
like what's the next problemthat he can help entrepreneurs
solve.
And so it's it's it's theemployee side of things, and it
kind of came out of out ofseeing people's struggles with
their with with profit first.
So um, so I uh collaborated withhim on his uh latest book, All
In How Great Leaders BuildUnstoppable Teams.
And uh we uh, you know, talkabout exactly like if it's it's
(23:16):
about going all in.
And if you go all in on yourpeople, you don't have to spend
as much time because you're ithave people that can take the
ball, run with it to the endzone, and so you can work on the
business instead of being justin the business.
Um, so uh so we've so we've donethat.
We have the all-in company, andthen that has translated into
the all-in assessment, which isthe assessment that we've talked
(23:39):
about, and the five-staremployee hiring system um that
employers can use on theemployer side.
SPEAKER_01 (23:45):
So Danielle, you are so motivating.
Uh, what where do you get yourmotivation?
Who who's inspired you?
What what lit this park?
SPEAKER_00 (23:54):
So, you know what?
I grew up in it uh in anentrepreneurial family.
My dad is um has had a a a woodframing construction company
since 1978.
And um I worked in that companystarting when I was in third
grade in the summers.
Um, I was the um before Xeroxinvented the automatic um
(24:16):
document feeder and sorter, Iwas that person.
So, you know, you I would Iwould copy lumber lists and and
and then have to sort them andand make the make the lumber
packets to send to the lumbercompanies.
And I was filing things and Iwas um so so I grew up in it in
an entrepreneurial family.
And so I just I didn't knowanything else.
(24:37):
My professors are like, Well,aren't you going to law school?
I was like, oh no.
Um I, you know, I'm gonna gointo business one day.
So it happened sooner than Ithought at 25, but um, it's uh
my dad's been my inspiration andjust a rock.
SPEAKER_01 (24:54):
Uh and I'm sure he's very proud.
SPEAKER_00 (24:57):
Yeah, we're actually getting to work on a project
together right now, ironically.
So um it's uh it's fun.
SPEAKER_01 (25:03):
Yeah.
So along the uh journey, and asa member of the entrepreneurs
organization, I'm sure youjoined a forum, a peer group.
Yeah.
And uh I'm curious as to theeffect of uh forum on you, your
life, your your business life.
Oh my goodness.
What can you tell us about that?
I know it's confidential, buthow has it impacted you?
SPEAKER_00 (25:25):
Yeah, so I remember forum.
Uh it when people would talkabout things, I would just be
like, oh my gosh, like I can'timagine this happening to me.
And it was like three monthslater it would happen to me.
But I had, I had, I hadresources, I had ideas on how to
(25:46):
to to to to face things andsuch.
And um, I mean, I am stillfriends with my forum group, um,
even though I don't live in inNashville anymore.
Um, I was just texting with uhwith with someone this week from
my forum group.
I could call any of them at anytime.
Uh the the connection that youmake and the value of of
(26:11):
peer-to-peer um sharing ofexperiences is priceless,
priceless, priceless, priceless.
Uh and I would just always beable to take um, you know, what
what we would talk about in inforum and just kind of, even
(26:34):
though it wasn't it wasn't my mymy turn in sort of the hot seat,
I would be able to take kind oflike that whole discussion and
walk away and just kind of likethink about it and think about
like how could that help me andmy business now with just
certain ideas and such.
I I just um and I I I met withsomeone the other day um, you
(26:58):
know, to kind of like pick theirbrain and and I was lamenting
that here in SouthernCalifornia, I've been here since
2009.
I said I just haven't had thatthat entrepreneurial community
that I had in Nashville withwith forum and and EO and such.
And um, so that was a nice likekind of treat um to to to you it
was just one-on-one and such,but the uh the value of of of
(27:24):
peers sharing um theirexperiences and such is just the
best kind of um way to way tonavigate it all.
SPEAKER_01 (27:35):
Yeah.
So you're an entrepreneur,you're a keynote speaker, you're
a podcast show host, uh, you'rea mother, uh, you're a wife.
Let's exclude the personal onesfor the sake of the question.
Which of those roles is most uhexciting and energizing to you?
SPEAKER_00 (27:55):
Um I oh my goodness, that's a hard question.
Um I I just really what I reallylove is I love helping people
(28:16):
find and be in a role that theyare a true five-star fit for.
Because when you're a truefive-star fit for your role, you
love going into work.
You'll work eight hours a daybecause you're using your gifts,
you're using your abilities.
It is an ideal match, you'remotivated, it's it it all it all
(28:38):
matches up.
The problem, you know, there'sthere's there's studies out
there that say, oh, youremployees are only um effective
and productive, like four hoursa day or something.
And I'm like, yeah, becausethey're not good at what they
do, they don't love what theydo, so they spend half the time
procrastinating about what theydo.
And we're only everyone is afive-star fit for something.
(29:00):
I could get hired tomorrow as abookkeeper, but I'd be a
two-star bookkeeper because Icould pass the test and I I I
host an accounting podcast.
Like I know numbers, I knowfinance, but doing the tedious
work, God bless the bookkeepersout there that are reconciling
statements and and doing allthat, like I would procrastinate
(29:23):
all day long.
SPEAKER_01 (29:25):
Amen.
And only I'm a finance major,I'm exactly the same as you.
There's no way that would just,I wouldn't be that accurate.
SPEAKER_00 (29:33):
You know, and and so that's where I'm not a five-star
fit.
But when I'm but but like, youknow, I I mean I say I work 10
10 hours a week, but it like I'mI'm busy, obviously, more than
10 hours guesting and keynotingand this that the other, but but
in overseeing the operations ofthe team, I'm not in the
business, I'm on the businessand such.
So um, I don't want to misleadanyone that I'm like, you know,
(29:55):
clocking out and just sitting ona couch or something.
But um yeah.
I think it's it's it's um it'shelping people um just really
find that ideal fit um and andthen and the the the role is a
fit, the company's a fit, like,and you spend so much time
(30:16):
working, you should be happyabout what you're doing and you
shouldn't be employees shouldn'tbe settling and employer
shouldn't be settling.
So I'm my mission, my thefive-star central is to you know
fix the broken system and andand help people really be that
find that if they're a roundpeg, found that round hole uh
(30:40):
role.
SPEAKER_01 (30:42):
Yeah, I I always said that in in the hiring
process.
You know, we're not here toimpress you and uh and and fool
you into something that isn'twhat you love.
And I hope that the same is truefor you because if this is gonna
work out, it's gotta be just theright fit.
Uh there's nothing, you know,it's not about tricking one
(31:02):
another.
It's gotta be the right fit.
SPEAKER_00 (31:04):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Exactly.
So um, so so our system likehelps sort and figure all that
out in a in an objectivefashion.
SPEAKER_01 (31:15):
So yeah, amazing.
And uh let's talk about yourmentors for a second.
I assume you had many along theway, yeah.
One of whom maybe even uh yourfather.
Uh but I don't know.
I'll let you tell us who maybeare the top two, three people
that really influenced you andand how.
SPEAKER_00 (31:35):
Yeah, so um, so my dad influenced me.
I was gonna start the Maverickgroup with a business partner,
and he said, Don't.
And I was like, why?
You have a business partner.
Um, and uh so now I see why.
Um and um, you know, um I eveneven have spin and wife teams, I
(31:55):
just think it's best to keep itseparate, but that's my opinion,
and that's my experience.
Um, I had a another um mentor inum in Nashville, and um, and we
still we still stay connectedand such.
Um and uh he um just gave megreat advice.
(32:21):
And you know, I mean, I was so II feel like I was so young at
the time and and so naive andsuch.
Um, but um gave me great greatopportunities, facilitated great
introductions, um, and just kindof would share his experiences,
like what could he what wouldwhat would he do different um if
he could go back and dosomething differently?
(32:43):
And um, and then and then justthis week, um my uh former
landlord um at at one of myoffices, um uh I met with him um
on Wednesday and he had a a abusiness and new technology and
this, that, the other, and andthen he had a very successful
(33:06):
exit from it.
Um, and so you know again, I wasjust like wanting to understand
like what were your experiences?
Like, what do you think was themagic?
What do you think, you know, umyou did well?
And he he was very, verygestult, very gestalt um in his
in his uh in his sort of um alsoadvice to me.
(33:28):
And he he um he said, you know,well what what do you want your
exit to look like?
And I always talk about reverseengineering and and you know,
because I was just like, I'vegot this chessboard and I've got
all of these pieces on there.
And I said, I have to make amove.
And I said, I don't know whatmove to make.
(33:50):
And that's what I was like kindof going to him for, and he and
he said, Well, what is the exit?
And that just like that helpedme go, okay, this is the move
that I have to make.
And I have been so like on cloudnine since that conversation and
since that sort of aha.
Um and and and you know, wherewhat what what's next?
(34:16):
Because it has been styming mefor for for a bit.
Like I've been, you know,getting things into into
position, but now I've got tomake that like that the big move
now.
SPEAKER_01 (34:25):
So um, it's it's really interesting to me because
I I often uh see a lot ofentrepreneurs and often feel
this way myself.
And uh what's next?
What's the big move?
What's next?
What's the big move?
And here you are, uh more thanone$50 million company, and
still you're asking yourself thequestion, what's next?
(34:47):
What's the big move?
So, my question to you is whenwill you know that you have
achieved everything that youactually want to achieve?
SPEAKER_00 (34:55):
Oh, um uh I don't um I'll say it here.
Um, when when indeed is nolonger has the number one market
share.
SPEAKER_01 (35:11):
Oh right.
Love it.
Love it.
We're going after big stuff.
SPEAKER_00 (35:16):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (35:18):
Wonderful.
And Danielle, uh, what is onebook that you're reading or that
has had a lot of influence onyou?
SPEAKER_00 (35:26):
Well, I mean, I I have to, I I mentioned profit
first.
Um, I I'm just kind of bummedthat people don't seem to be
readers anymore.
I mean, the numbers on on booksales are just like minuscule
now and such.
Um, but uh I I mean uh I Ireally all in by Mike McAllowitz
(35:48):
is is is a gem.
Um and it and it's just whenpeople read it, it's just like
they're they're blown away byit.
So um, so I have to give propsto to Mike McAllowitz's uh
books, but specifically ProfitFirst and and All In.
SPEAKER_01 (36:06):
Well, I think he is amazing, and I know it's a great
book.
And thank you so much for beingwith us.
And thank you to our audience.
As a reminder, uh podcastreviews have a real impact on a
podcast visibility.
Uh so if you like the show,please give a review to help
others find us.
And thank you so much once againand have a wonderful day.
Welcome to the Heart of Business Podcast.
I'm your host, Mo Fatalbab,president and founder of IFO,
International FacilitatorsOrganization.
And we are here to create greatpeer groups all over the world
because we believewholeheartedly they change
lives.
And it is a pleasure today tohave an amazing guest on the
(00:31):
show.
She has had multiple businessesdo over$50 million in annual
revenue.
But get this, she only spends 10hours a week overseeing the
operations of those businesses.
And thanks to her magical teamsof five-star employees.
Welcome to the show, DanielleMalvey.
Hello, Danielle.
SPEAKER_00 (00:51):
Hello, Mo.
It's so great to see you.
SPEAKER_01 (00:54):
Great to see you.
How are you today?
SPEAKER_00 (00:57):
I'm doing fabulous.
Fabulous, fabulous.
Excited to be here and excitedto chat with you.
SPEAKER_01 (01:02):
Wonderful.
So, Danielle, you've got a greatstory, and I'm I'm captivated by
how you have gotten so manybusinesses to run without you,
which is a trick that a lot ofCEOs uh certainly struggle with.
But I want to start from thebeginning.
Uh, so tell us where you grew upand what what childhood was
like.
SPEAKER_00 (01:22):
Okay.
So I grew up in SouthernCalifornia, specifically Orange
County.
And um I knew since I was alittle girl that I wanted to go
out of state to school.
Now that's the big thing.
But back when I went out ofstate to school, it was pretty
unusual.
And um I remember telling myfriends I was gonna go to
Vanderbilt University.
Um, this is like circa, youknow, early 90s, and they're
(01:46):
like, you're going to learn howto make jeans?
They had never heard ofVanderbilt.
They thought I was going to theGloria Vanderbilt School of
Fashion Gene making.
I don't know.
So um I uh I went to Vanderbilt,uh, graduated from there, and uh
ended up with a degree um inpolitical science and
communication studies and um andand settled in Nashville and
(02:10):
started my first business at theripe old age of 25.
Um and Nashville was such anamazing community.
I don't I don't live there now,so I speak of it in the past
tense, but um it was one degreeof separation.
And so I was able to start abusiness.
It was very entrepreneurial andyou know, everyone was was about
connecting.
(02:30):
And actually that's where we metbecause I joined um back then it
was YEO.
That's right.
It was young entrepreneurs.
You had to be under 40, and thenthen they had to change that.
Um, so yes, uh, so so I joinedYEO uh YEO, yeah, I said it
right, um, in in in in 2000.
(02:50):
So yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (02:51):
Amazing.
And what business was thatbusiness?
SPEAKER_00 (02:53):
So that was uh an advertising and marketing
agency.
Um, so and we specialized inworking with um companies and in
the jewelry industry andhigh-ticket items, um cars and
um and homes.
So that was our that was ourniche.
SPEAKER_01 (03:10):
And tell us how you got started in that business.
SPEAKER_00 (03:13):
Uh I worked at an my first job was at an advertising
and marketing agency.
This is gonna be awkward to toto recount.
Um, when I started with them,they had about 65 employees.
Fast forward about 12 monthslater, and it was down to 15
employees.
It was just this weirdcraziness, and um, and everyone
(03:39):
was running for the hills.
I tried to run for the hills twoprior times and they threw more
money at me.
And the third time that I wantedto run for the hills, I I just
was like, you you can't youcan't bribe me to stay.
Like I just can't.
SPEAKER_01 (03:52):
There's not enough money to keep me here, huh?
SPEAKER_00 (03:54):
Yeah, yeah.
But um, you know, I mean, it wasit just there was some weird
things going on and such, butlovely people and people that
I'm still dear friends withtoday and such.
Um, but uh so so when I leftthere, um a a client came to me
and said, Okay, you were ourfourth account executive in the
(04:17):
last year, but you were the bestone.
Could you um, you know, tocontinue our business and such?
Because let's just say the otherbusiness um folded pretty
quickly after after I left.
Not that I was keeping ittogether, but um, so so so
that's how I started with thatbusiness.
And then it just kind of pickedon from there.
(04:39):
Um, and uh, and and we were theMaverick group.
So we were very, very Maverickoriented and and we attracted
bit clients that had a Mavericksort of mindset too, or a
Maverick kind of approach withregards to their businesses.
SPEAKER_01 (04:54):
So I love that word and uh and it speaks a lot to
you know the spirit ofentrepreneurship that I'm that
we're so familiar with.
Um why why did you pick thatword yourself and what does it
mean to you?
SPEAKER_00 (05:07):
Well, I was just um, even though I only spent about a
year in the traditionaladvertising and marketing
agency, I just felt that it theywere still this agency was
founded in the 60s, and itseemed like they were still
doing things like the 60s um inin in in the 90s.
And so um I just you know, Idon't know if maybe I was young,
(05:33):
and obviously marketing andadvertising has changed
significantly from those days.
But I mean, this was still alittle bit like they were still
living in the madmen era back atthis agency and such.
And um, so you know, I just knewthat things were gonna be
different.
So things that we did that justkind of like shocked me today,
and and actually I was I wasgoing through some stuff.
Um, but like we um we we createda a testimonial booth actually,
(05:58):
um, and uh with a with a fellowum YEOer who had a had a tech
company, we created a boothwhere uh we could capture
testimonials from customersinside the showroom of of a of a
of an automotive dealership andsuch.
And so, because we were usingthose testimonials for um, and
this is, you know, I'm sorry,but I think this is before Yelp
(06:21):
and before like really kind oftestimonials and and that kind
of thing took took took up andsuch.
So we were always kind of aheadof things.
We had one client called PlumpGood Foods, it was like DoorDash
uh and and Instacart, but in2001, 2001, right?
You know, and it's so justthings, things ahead of its
(06:44):
time.
So it's just it kind of it itjust it just worked.
And and I feel like that's youknow, kind of the what what I'm
working on right now is you knowsomething that's going to
replace indeed.
So, you know, I like to think ofmyself as a maverick and just
kind of trying to like look athow to make things better.
SPEAKER_01 (07:00):
Yeah.
Well, I want to get into whatwe're gonna do that's gonna
replace Indeed.
But before we get there, um, soyou started your first business
and a success from day one.
Did you have any struggles alongthe way?
SPEAKER_00 (07:13):
Um, oh, I had some struggles um for sure.
So I was lucky with my first fewhires, but there was one Monday
morning, it was definitely aMonday morning, and I woke up
and instead of springing out ofbed, I rolled over, put my head
under my pillow, and askedmyself, can I call in fake sick
(07:34):
to my own company?
Because I didn't want to faceanother week with Larry, Larry,
Larry, Larry, just the sayinghis name brings back PTSD.
You know, it was it was amishire that I made.
And he made me miserable.
He um made his fellow colleaguesmiserable, and you know, I
(07:56):
didn't call out fake sick thatday, but um I resolved myself to
take three immediate actionsthat day.
Number one, Larry was moved toalumni status ASAP, meaning that
was his last day.
Um, and and and number two, Idecided that I needed to stop,
excuse my French, half-assing myhiring.
(08:17):
Um, you know, I was going off ofanecdotal things that I would
hear from people.
Oh, if you'd like to um, youknow, go go go and have a beer
at happy hour with them afterwork, that's that's someone that
you'd want to hire, someone thatthat means they're like you.
Um, oh, referrals, get referralsfrom people and hire referrals
because then they've alreadydone the vetting and such.
(08:38):
And I and that no, that does notwork, guys.
And I'm sure everyone here hastried that too and realizes,
okay, yeah, not not so hot.
So I resolve myself to go all inand really figure out like how
to not make these this thishigher type of hiring mistake
again.
Um, and then number three, Ijust also said, I'm not gonna
(08:59):
settle.
So it's it's it's it's about notnot settling for mediocre or
average and setting the bar.
And I I settled with Larry fortoo long and I let him stay too
long in the organization.
Um, and you know, I I wastalking to someone the other
day, and and oftentimes peoplethink, oh, well, you know, we'll
(09:22):
just kind of make it moremiserable for them that they
self-select themselves out andsuch.
But sometimes they don't reallyget the message.
Um, and and so, you know, I wasI in terms of never settling,
like now it's just like I set abar, and if you don't meet the
bar, like you're not gonna gethired or you know, you're you're
(09:44):
gonna go out.
Because I think the challengethat companies have, um, and we
grew pretty quickly at theMaverick Group, is that just
because you hired someone whenyou started out, you know, as
you grow and you you pass, youknow, three million dollars,
five million dollars, etc., thatperson might not grow with the
(10:05):
organization.
And you might need to replacethem with someone who has
experience in an organizationthat's doing 10, 12 million
dollars.
And because it's a different,it's a it's a it's a different
game, it's a different set, andnothing lasts forever.
That's I think something that umpeople hiring managers just kind
(10:28):
of want to hire someone and andand and have loyalty forever.
And that's not fair to to to toto people in general.
SPEAKER_01 (10:38):
It's not fair to them, it's not fair to the
company.
SPEAKER_00 (10:40):
Yeah, yeah.
So I think it's having a a goodmindset about what's what what's
realistic um in terms of interms of your talent management.
SPEAKER_01 (10:51):
And so the Maverick Group was your first business,
and is that business still upand running, or did you No, no,
that one that one isn't.
SPEAKER_00 (10:57):
So we uh we actually went in-house um with one of our
clients um when uh when Istarted having children.
And um, and then uh my job therewas to help that company get
acquired um in five years.
We did it in three years, and itwas acquired by Division United
Healthcare for$250 million.
(11:18):
And um so uh then uh we movedback to California in um 2009,
and I um my husband and I umstarted uh a couple of
businesses in 2010 that we stillhave today, and then we've we've
added other businesses.
So those businesses we startedin 2010, one is a construction
(11:38):
material supply company, andanother one processes long-term
care claims.
So um, we don't have eggs in onebasket, and then um, and then
and then today I have um aconsulting business, and then uh
we have uh the five-staremployee hiring system and the
all-in company.
So we've got a lot, a lot goingon and and a lot of great teams.
SPEAKER_01 (11:58):
And I, you know, I I would just guess that this very
strict hiring protocol that youput into place has a very direct
correlation to your ability totrust your team, to your ability
to have uh 10 hours of work withwith several$50 million
businesses.
Um and of course, you you had toyou had to really change
(12:22):
something about yourself alongthe way.
Uh, can you talk us through thata little bit?
SPEAKER_00 (12:27):
Yeah, you know, it was really changing my mindset
of I think when you start abusiness, you're you you have a
vision and you're very umcontrolling about that.
And you you tend to think thatno one can do it like you, no
one can do it better than you,and and it's only you.
And I was sort of like kind offrustrated, and and I realized
(12:54):
after after Larry that that Icould only grow as good as I
could grow my team.
And I had lofty aspirations togrow.
And um, and and so along thispath, I have um recognized that
(13:15):
I can find people and I and Iand I and I can identify great
people and great talent byputting some effort into it.
You know, most people arehalf-assing their hiring, and
when you half-ass your hire, Isay you get a half-ass employee,
like you get someone who's okayfor the role.
(13:36):
But when you go all in on yourhiring and and you really
understand exactly what youneed, exactly what you're
looking for, then you've you youyou find that person.
And it's not about trying tosqueeze a square peg into a
round hole role.
You know, if you're if you ifyou're hiring someone and say,
(13:56):
well, we'll see how this worksout in 90 days, you've already
made a bad hire.
If that's your mindset goinginto it, because you should make
a hire and you should be ahundred percent confident that
this is the best candidate forthe role who's going to knock it
out of the park because theymeet the five criteria of on the
five-star employee scorecard.
SPEAKER_01 (14:17):
So I love that.
I love that.
So uh along your story here, Ipicked up that you work with
your husband, and uh, I knowthat can be really challenging.
What have been your tricks andand tips for making that work
effectively and and notchallenging your relationship?
SPEAKER_00 (14:35):
Well, you know what, I will say that um uh and and we
we both we both we both arefriends with Mike Mikalowitz,
but I think that that that whenwe implemented Profit First in
our businesses, that helpedeverything because the thing
that you most disagree about ishow the money is running in the
(14:58):
business and such.
And so um, you know, he had hisopinions, I had my opinions when
I found Profit First, I justgobbled that book up and um and
and geeked out about it, andthen he read it and we agreed
that it wasn't gonna be myopinion or his opinion, we were
gonna implement the the systemin place.
So I think Profit First is agreat um for for for people who
(15:23):
are married, or even if you havea business partner, it just
gives clarity to to to the cashin your business, um, and it
gives intention and purpose tothe cash in your business.
And you know, cash is king in inyour businesses and such.
So um, so I think that thatreally helped.
And then it was sort of like,you know, his lane and my lane.
(15:44):
So um he is sales, and I am likebehind behind the scenes in
operations and um uh and andmarketing, et cetera, and such.
And so um, and then I think alsotoo having the daily huddle um
every morning with the entireteam just keeps everyone on the
(16:06):
same page.
And there's transparency,there's accountability.
So not, you know, accountabilityfrom the owners to the to each
other, as well as accountabilitywith with employees and such.
So um I think that profit first,you know, all things, all good
things that come from from fromfrom my EO days, um, profit
(16:28):
first and and and and and huddand daily huddles, um really uh
and that and that's that's toohow I can run these businesses
in 10 hours a week because I popinto the daily huddles.
I have a pulse on the businessevery day.
And if there's something that'ssort of like going, you know, in
in in a different direction, Ican pull it back in and redirect
(16:52):
the team or the individual thathas on their plate of the three
things they're gonna do today,something that is, you know, not
not not not not gonna have theimpact that we need for their
time in that day.
So, you know, and that kind ofgoes back to I understand how
what my people need to be doingduring the day.
(17:13):
So it's too often people makehires and leave the employees to
their own devices and their ownfigure it out kind of thing and
stuff.
And um, when we make a hire,we've already mapped out, hey,
here's what your ideal weeklooks like.
And and and it's blocked out andit is a schedule and and they
(17:36):
can see it.
And so they it and so it reallyalso helps when you're
onboarding people because it'slike let's get you into getting
this, you know, doing thesethings in this schedule as
quickly as possible.
Um, and so you know, when wehave a hire, they're hitting the
ground running at 50 miles anhour and they're going 100 miles
an hour in a couple of weeks,not three months or six months,
(17:59):
you know.
SPEAKER_01 (18:00):
So well, I'm starting to see uh how you might
create a product that uhcompetes with indeed.
So tell us more about that ifyou can.
SPEAKER_00 (18:09):
Yeah.
So, you know, um again, thingsjust resumes, number one, are so
1950s.
Um, and tragically, now they canbe AI's.
So a candidate can take a jobdescription and um that they've
applied to or that they want toapply to and AI their resume.
And so most companies are kindof judging candidates, I very
(18:34):
subjectively off of the resume.
And just just because someonesays they can do it doesn't mean
that they can do it.
Um, and then the system's alsobroken because um candidates are
having to tediously apply toindividual jobs, even if they're
on indeed, they're still havingto go through and and find the
(18:56):
jobs that they want to apply toand such, and they have to, you
know, go through whatever thosecompanies want them to do to
apply for the job.
So um, and and and again,candidates are being looked at
and and judged very subjectivelyuh by by by people who are
(19:16):
half-assing their hiring tobegin with.
And, you know, I mean, I'veheard from from HR managers who,
you know, uh they have they havesomeone at a department head
who's desperate to make a hire.
It's like, I need this jobposted now.
So they'll post the job, andthen you know, over the course
of of week, a couple of weeks,they'll get a hundred resumes,
(19:36):
and then that hiring manager'sdone nothing with it.
And and and now they'reoverwhelmed with over a hundred
resumes and they only look atthe they only look at 20, and
then they go from there.
And that is so unfair to the 100applicants that you had.
And and it's just it's a it's abroken, it's an old system, and
there's technology now, guys,that can that can do this much
(19:58):
better.
So, so so so what we have is umis is we're launching five star
central.
And so what five star centraldoes is it allows candidates to
come in and take an assessment.
Um, and they take oneassessment, and then employers
come in, and for each role thatthey're hiring for, we help them
(20:21):
set a benchmark for their idealcandidate for each role.
So um when when what happensthen is when a candidate takes
an assessment and we haveemployers, we're able to match
where people meet the benchmarkfor the different roles that are
out there.
So we're using technology, we'reusing automation, we are making
(20:43):
this way, way, way moreefficient.
And we're being objective,completely objective, because
the assessment is assessing acandidate's abilities, their
motivations, their personality,their work fit, their team fit.
Um, you know, is this someonewho's better in office or
remote?
Um, is this someone who prefersa fixed salary or commission and
(21:04):
bonus?
So it's it's it's it's able toassess on so many factors that
most companies are are missingwhen it comes to making hiring
decisions.
SPEAKER_01 (21:17):
Amazing.
When can I start using it?
SPEAKER_00 (21:20):
Well, you can start using it now.
Um, and and and we have we havea way that that that we're using
it now on on the employer side.
Um so you can go to five staremployee hiring system.com, the
number five star employee hiringsystem.com, um, to to to check
that out.
SPEAKER_01 (21:39):
All right, wonderful.
And now I'd love to know moreabout what you're doing uh with
Michael McAllowicks, if youcould tell us.
SPEAKER_00 (21:45):
Oh yes, yes, yes.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Um, so uh well I I I became sucha nerd and such a fan of Profit
First that I actually became thehost of of the official Profit
First podcast, Profit FirstNation.
So um if uh if if you want togeek out over Profit First, join
us at Profit First Nation.
(22:07):
Um, but then uh what's what'sinteresting about the whole
Profit First thing is that uhwhen we when we looked at why
are people still struggling withtheir profitability, because
there's only two ways toincrease profitability decrease
expenses and andor increasemargin, their expenses, their
biggest expense item is payroll.
(22:28):
And so when you have mediocreemployees, that's dragging down
your payroll, that's inflatingyour payroll unnecessarily, and
that is killing yourprofitability.
One five-star employee does thework of two or three, one, two,
and three-star employees.
So uh, you know, Mike's booksare all about an evolution of
(22:51):
like what's the next problemthat he can help entrepreneurs
solve.
And so it's it's it's theemployee side of things, and it
kind of came out of out ofseeing people's struggles with
their with with profit first.
So um, so I uh collaborated withhim on his uh latest book, All
In How Great Leaders BuildUnstoppable Teams.
And uh we uh, you know, talkabout exactly like if it's it's
(23:16):
about going all in.
And if you go all in on yourpeople, you don't have to spend
as much time because you're ithave people that can take the
ball, run with it to the endzone, and so you can work on the
business instead of being justin the business.
Um, so uh so we've so we've donethat.
We have the all-in company, andthen that has translated into
the all-in assessment, which isthe assessment that we've talked
(23:39):
about, and the five-staremployee hiring system um that
employers can use on theemployer side.
SPEAKER_01 (23:45):
So Danielle, you are so motivating.
Uh, what where do you get yourmotivation?
Who who's inspired you?
What what lit this park?
SPEAKER_00 (23:54):
So, you know what?
I grew up in it uh in anentrepreneurial family.
My dad is um has had a a a woodframing construction company
since 1978.
And um I worked in that companystarting when I was in third
grade in the summers.
Um, I was the um before Xeroxinvented the automatic um
(24:16):
document feeder and sorter, Iwas that person.
So, you know, you I would Iwould copy lumber lists and and
and then have to sort them andand make the make the lumber
packets to send to the lumbercompanies.
And I was filing things and Iwas um so so I grew up in it in
an entrepreneurial family.
And so I just I didn't knowanything else.
(24:37):
My professors are like, Well,aren't you going to law school?
I was like, oh no.
Um I, you know, I'm gonna gointo business one day.
So it happened sooner than Ithought at 25, but um, it's uh
my dad's been my inspiration andjust a rock.
SPEAKER_01 (24:54):
Uh and I'm sure he's very proud.
SPEAKER_00 (24:57):
Yeah, we're actually getting to work on a project
together right now, ironically.
So um it's uh it's fun.
SPEAKER_01 (25:03):
Yeah.
So along the uh journey, and asa member of the entrepreneurs
organization, I'm sure youjoined a forum, a peer group.
Yeah.
And uh I'm curious as to theeffect of uh forum on you, your
life, your your business life.
Oh my goodness.
What can you tell us about that?
I know it's confidential, buthow has it impacted you?
SPEAKER_00 (25:25):
Yeah, so I remember forum.
Uh it when people would talkabout things, I would just be
like, oh my gosh, like I can'timagine this happening to me.
And it was like three monthslater it would happen to me.
But I had, I had, I hadresources, I had ideas on how to
(25:46):
to to to to face things andsuch.
And um, I mean, I am stillfriends with my forum group, um,
even though I don't live in inNashville anymore.
Um, I was just texting with uhwith with someone this week from
my forum group.
I could call any of them at anytime.
Uh the the connection that youmake and the value of of
(26:11):
peer-to-peer um sharing ofexperiences is priceless,
priceless, priceless, priceless.
Uh and I would just always beable to take um, you know, what
what we would talk about in inforum and just kind of, even
(26:34):
though it wasn't it wasn't my mymy turn in sort of the hot seat,
I would be able to take kind oflike that whole discussion and
walk away and just kind of likethink about it and think about
like how could that help me andmy business now with just
certain ideas and such.
I I just um and I I I met withsomeone the other day um, you
(26:58):
know, to kind of like pick theirbrain and and I was lamenting
that here in SouthernCalifornia, I've been here since
2009.
I said I just haven't had thatthat entrepreneurial community
that I had in Nashville withwith forum and and EO and such.
And um, so that was a nice likekind of treat um to to to you it
was just one-on-one and such,but the uh the value of of of
(27:24):
peers sharing um theirexperiences and such is just the
best kind of um way to way tonavigate it all.
SPEAKER_01 (27:35):
Yeah.
So you're an entrepreneur,you're a keynote speaker, you're
a podcast show host, uh, you'rea mother, uh, you're a wife.
Let's exclude the personal onesfor the sake of the question.
Which of those roles is most uhexciting and energizing to you?
SPEAKER_00 (27:55):
Um I oh my goodness, that's a hard question.
Um I I just really what I reallylove is I love helping people
(28:16):
find and be in a role that theyare a true five-star fit for.
Because when you're a truefive-star fit for your role, you
love going into work.
You'll work eight hours a daybecause you're using your gifts,
you're using your abilities.
It is an ideal match, you'remotivated, it's it it all it all
(28:38):
matches up.
The problem, you know, there'sthere's there's studies out
there that say, oh, youremployees are only um effective
and productive, like four hoursa day or something.
And I'm like, yeah, becausethey're not good at what they
do, they don't love what theydo, so they spend half the time
procrastinating about what theydo.
And we're only everyone is afive-star fit for something.
(29:00):
I could get hired tomorrow as abookkeeper, but I'd be a
two-star bookkeeper because Icould pass the test and I I I
host an accounting podcast.
Like I know numbers, I knowfinance, but doing the tedious
work, God bless the bookkeepersout there that are reconciling
statements and and doing allthat, like I would procrastinate
(29:23):
all day long.
SPEAKER_01 (29:25):
Amen.
And only I'm a finance major,I'm exactly the same as you.
There's no way that would just,I wouldn't be that accurate.
SPEAKER_00 (29:33):
You know, and and so that's where I'm not a five-star
fit.
But when I'm but but like, youknow, I I mean I say I work 10
10 hours a week, but it like I'mI'm busy, obviously, more than
10 hours guesting and keynotingand this that the other, but but
in overseeing the operations ofthe team, I'm not in the
business, I'm on the businessand such.
So um, I don't want to misleadanyone that I'm like, you know,
(29:55):
clocking out and just sitting ona couch or something.
But um yeah.
I think it's it's it's um it'shelping people um just really
find that ideal fit um and andthen and the the the role is a
fit, the company's a fit, like,and you spend so much time
(30:16):
working, you should be happyabout what you're doing and you
shouldn't be employees shouldn'tbe settling and employer
shouldn't be settling.
So I'm my mission, my thefive-star central is to you know
fix the broken system and andand help people really be that
find that if they're a roundpeg, found that round hole uh
(30:40):
role.
SPEAKER_01 (30:42):
Yeah, I I always said that in in the hiring
process.
You know, we're not here toimpress you and uh and and fool
you into something that isn'twhat you love.
And I hope that the same is truefor you because if this is gonna
work out, it's gotta be just theright fit.
Uh there's nothing, you know,it's not about tricking one
(31:02):
another.
It's gotta be the right fit.
SPEAKER_00 (31:04):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Exactly.
So um, so so our system likehelps sort and figure all that
out in a in an objectivefashion.
SPEAKER_01 (31:15):
So yeah, amazing.
And uh let's talk about yourmentors for a second.
I assume you had many along theway, yeah.
One of whom maybe even uh yourfather.
Uh but I don't know.
I'll let you tell us who maybeare the top two, three people
that really influenced you andand how.
SPEAKER_00 (31:35):
Yeah, so um, so my dad influenced me.
I was gonna start the Maverickgroup with a business partner,
and he said, Don't.
And I was like, why?
You have a business partner.
Um, and uh so now I see why.
Um and um, you know, um I eveneven have spin and wife teams, I
(31:55):
just think it's best to keep itseparate, but that's my opinion,
and that's my experience.
Um, I had a another um mentor inum in Nashville, and um, and we
still we still stay connectedand such.
Um and uh he um just gave megreat advice.
(32:21):
And you know, I mean, I was so II feel like I was so young at
the time and and so naive andsuch.
Um, but um gave me great greatopportunities, facilitated great
introductions, um, and just kindof would share his experiences,
like what could he what wouldwhat would he do different um if
he could go back and dosomething differently?
(32:43):
And um, and then and then justthis week, um my uh former
landlord um at at one of myoffices, um uh I met with him um
on Wednesday and he had a a abusiness and new technology and
this, that, the other, and andthen he had a very successful
(33:06):
exit from it.
Um, and so you know again, I wasjust like wanting to understand
like what were your experiences?
Like, what do you think was themagic?
What do you think, you know, umyou did well?
And he he was very, verygestult, very gestalt um in his
in his uh in his sort of um alsoadvice to me.
(33:28):
And he he um he said, you know,well what what do you want your
exit to look like?
And I always talk about reverseengineering and and you know,
because I was just like, I'vegot this chessboard and I've got
all of these pieces on there.
And I said, I have to make amove.
And I said, I don't know whatmove to make.
(33:50):
And that's what I was like kindof going to him for, and he and
he said, Well, what is the exit?
And that just like that helpedme go, okay, this is the move
that I have to make.
And I have been so like on cloudnine since that conversation and
since that sort of aha.
Um and and and you know, wherewhat what what's next?
(34:16):
Because it has been styming mefor for for a bit.
Like I've been, you know,getting things into into
position, but now I've got tomake that like that the big move
now.
SPEAKER_01 (34:25):
So um, it's it's really interesting to me because
I I often uh see a lot ofentrepreneurs and often feel
this way myself.
And uh what's next?
What's the big move?
What's next?
What's the big move?
And here you are, uh more thanone$50 million company, and
still you're asking yourself thequestion, what's next?
(34:47):
What's the big move?
So, my question to you is whenwill you know that you have
achieved everything that youactually want to achieve?
SPEAKER_00 (34:55):
Oh, um uh I don't um I'll say it here.
Um, when when indeed is nolonger has the number one market
share.
SPEAKER_01 (35:11):
Oh right.
Love it.
Love it.
We're going after big stuff.
SPEAKER_00 (35:16):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (35:18):
Wonderful.
And Danielle, uh, what is onebook that you're reading or that
has had a lot of influence onyou?
SPEAKER_00 (35:26):
Well, I mean, I I have to, I I mentioned profit
first.
Um, I I'm just kind of bummedthat people don't seem to be
readers anymore.
I mean, the numbers on on booksales are just like minuscule
now and such.
Um, but uh I I mean uh I Ireally all in by Mike McAllowitz
(35:48):
is is is a gem.
Um and it and it's just whenpeople read it, it's just like
they're they're blown away byit.
So um, so I have to give propsto to Mike McAllowitz's uh
books, but specifically ProfitFirst and and All In.
SPEAKER_01 (36:06):
Well, I think he is amazing, and I know it's a great
book.
And thank you so much for beingwith us.
And thank you to our audience.
As a reminder, uh podcastreviews have a real impact on a
podcast visibility.
Uh so if you like the show,please give a review to help
others find us.
And thank you so much once againand have a wonderful day.
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