In the first part of this two-part series, as we have a poignant conversation with guest James Smith, it becomes clear that he has been grappling with a series of profound challenges. Almost three months have passed since the sudden and unexplained passing of his wife. This tragic event left him shattered, rendering him unable to function at work for an extended period. The silver lining, however, is that he had meticulously structured his business, allowing him to step away and prioritize self-care while the business continued to operate smoothly.

The contrast with a previous experience is striking. In 2019, James lost his brother, and despite his grief, he felt compelled to return to work swiftly, ultimately suppressing his mourning process. This time around, he recognized the importance of mourning and healing. Remarkably, after five weeks away, he discovered that his business was capable of functioning independently, a testament to his strategic planning.

James imparts valuable lessons he's learned through his journey. One of these is the significance of knowledge-sharing: passing down your expertise to those below you while actively learning the responsibilities above you. He cautions against letting ego hinder growth, advocating for a collaborative environment where one isn't the sole custodian of knowledge.

Furthermore, he emphasizes the role of core values in establishing a strong foundation for a business. These values guide the selection of employees, customers, and the creation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). James identifies communication, integrity, growth, and trustworthiness as their core values. He underscores the importance of SOPs as comprehensive guides that equip employees to handle diverse situations effectively.

A particularly poignant insight he shares is the necessity of recognizing when someone no longer aligns with the company's core values. In such cases, he advocates for the difficult yet transformative step of letting them go. James firmly believes that taking this step paves the way for improvement and growth.

In this conversation, James Smith's experiences and insights provide a deeply personal account of navigating profound loss, managing a business, fostering a healthy work environment, and the significance of core values in all these facets of life.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why it’s important for your business to be able to run without you.

• How to build a strong foundation in your business. 

• Why you should hire on core values over talent.

• And much more!

Favorite Quote:

“To run a real business, that works without you, you have to build that foundation of core values” -James Smith

How to Get Connected:

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