The Business Strategist With Adam Strong
The Business Strategist is the ultimate podcast for entrepreneurs, founders and business owners looking to scale, grow, and exit their businesses successfully.
Hosted by Adam Strong, an award-winning strategist with over 30 years of industry experience and three times best selling author.
Each episode delivers actionable business advice, practical tools, and insights to help you build a thriving enterprise. Whether you want to master leadership, craft a winning exit strategy, or implement proven scaling techniques, this podcast has you covered.
With expert interviews, real-world case studies, and a focus on achieving business freedom, the business strategist is your go-to resource for taking your business to the next level.
Tune in every week for new episodes designed to inspire, educate, and empower your entrepreneurial journey.
Adam's Contact details
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamistrong
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/adamstrong
Is your business ready to run without you?
Take the 2-minute Exit Readiness Assessment — a fast, strategic scorecard for founders who want to scale, sell, or step back without becoming the bottleneck. Get instant insights across leadership, systems, marketing, and more. Click here to take the assessment: https://readytoexit.scoreapp.com
1
Built. Burned Out. Sold for Millions
Most founders obsess over revenue, product, and performance. But no one talks about what happens when the pressure breaks you. This episode is that conversation. In this episode of The Business Strategist, I sit down with Luke Tobin, a three-time exited founder, award-winning entrepreneur, and digital marketing expert turned investor. We go beyond the business playbook and dive deep into the mental and emotional resilience it takes to lead through chaos, recover from failure, and build with an exit in mind.
56 min
2
Why 99% Fail on LinkedIn (And What the Top 1% K...
LinkedIn Is Broken for Most People… But Not If You Know This In this week’s episode, I reconnect with my good friend and globally renowned LinkedIn strategist Adam Houlahan. It’s been four years since our last deep dive—and what’s changed on LinkedIn since then is staggering. From collapsing organic reach to algorithm shifts and AI overload, we go deep into what’s really happening—and what still works.
62 min
3
The Real Reason Founders Burn Out Scaling
Most founders think scaling means more marketing, more hustle, and more chaos… but what if real growth comes from doing the exact opposite? In this episode, I’m joined by Leila Lahbabi, former Strategy Officer at Oliver Wyman, now a sought-after CEO coach and author of Billion Dollar Purpose. As someone who's worked with hundreds of founders, I’ve seen firsthand how strategy, mindfulness, and energy management aren't just “nice-to-haves”—they're the core of sustainable success.
62 min
4
Unlock Your Leadership Archetype: The Hidden Sy...
Have you ever noticed how your leadership style flips under pressure—sometimes you micromanage, sometimes you retreat, sometimes you charge ahead like you're putting out fires? That reaction isn’t random. It’s driven by an invisible operating system that's been with you since birth. In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with Rory Kilmartin—relationship researcher and founder of the Archetypal Relationship Academy—to explore a groundbreaking framework for decoding human behaviour through four archetypes: the gorilla, the wolf, the fox, and the sheep. Rory’s 19 years of research reveals how your dominant archetype influences your leadership, relationships, and even who you hire (or fire). If you’re serious about improving the way you lead, communicate, and understand your team—and yourself—this one’s a game-changer.
67 min
5
10 common pitfalls when scaling a business
Want to scale your business but afraid you’ll make costly mistakes? In this episode of The Business Strategist, I pull back the curtain on the 10 most common pitfalls that ambush founders on the road to rapid growth — and share the proven fixes I use with my own clients.
24 min
6
Clarity Over Chaos: The Real Secret to Business...
If you’re spinning your wheels trying to build your brand, craft irresistible offers, or scale your marketing—but still not getting traction—this episode is for you. I break down why most business owners hit a wall: lack of clarity.
17 min
7
The Exit Strategy Most Founders Miss
What if the key to scaling and exiting your startup wasn’t hustle—but reverse engineering your success from day one? In this powerhouse episode, I sit down with Gregory Shepard—multi-exit entrepreneur, neurodivergent founder, TEDx speaker, and author of The Startup Lifecycle (Penguin Random House). With 12 exits, a $925M deal, and four Private Equity awards.
68 min
8
Are You the Soul-Sucking CEO?
Are YOU the Soul-Sucking CEO? What if the biggest barrier to growth in your company… is you? In this episode, I sit down with my good friend Garry Ridge — former CEO of WD-40, Top 10 USA Today bestselling author, and one of the most grounded, wise leaders I know. Over 25 years, Garry scaled WD-40 into a $3.6 billion global powerhouse — not through ego or control, but by building a culture of belonging, learning, and trust. We dive deep into what most leaders get wrong about company culture, how to recognise (and eliminate) toxic behaviours, and why servant leadership is the most powerful leadership style for scaling a business and empowering teams.
40 min
9
How Assets Set You Financially Free
What if everything you thought you knew about money was holding you back? Featuring Sharon Lechter—co-author of the international bestseller Rich Dad Poor Dad, presidential financial-literacy advisor under Presidents Bush and Obama, and longtime philanthropist—this episode will transform how you think about income, assets, and true wealth.
32 min
10
Strategic Shifts for Successful Exits
What If Your Success Habits Are Now Holding You Back? You’ve built something from the ground up—but what if the very traits that made you a successful founder are now the biggest blockers to scaling and exiting?
67 min
11
From Chaos to Consistency: McDonalds Blueprint ...
Ever wonder how a simple idea can transform chaos into consistency—even during a crisis? Discover how McDonald's golden arches inspire a resilient, systemised business strategy for navigating uncertainty.
37 min
12
Unlocking the Science of Selling
What if your sales breakthrough lies in the science of decision-making? In this episode of the business strategist host Adam Strong and best-selling author Peri Shawn dive into the science behind successful selling. They uncover how neuroscience drives client behaviour, the power of emotional engagement, and the art of asking the right questions. Learn how to transition from traditional sales pitches to a strategy that aligns with the natural buying decision, ensuring your sales conversations are efficient, engaging, and conversion-driven.
46 min
13
Gratitude: The Leadership Superpower You’re Not...
How do you build a great culture? In this dynamic conversation, Adam and Chester delve into the power of creating a great culture. They explore how effective communication, intentional gratitude, and a deep understanding of people drive business success and foster lasting change—both in organisations and in life.
49 min
14
Cracking the Leadership Code
What truly separates a good leader from a great one? In this episode of The Business Strategist, leadership expert and bestselling author Alain Hunkins reveals how to crack the code that turns good leaders into great ones.
41 min
15
From $0 to $419M: Leadership & the 9-Figure CEO...
How do 9-figure CEOs think differently? Mike Fata built and sold Manitoba Harvest for $419M—today, he’s revealing the mindset shifts, toughest decisions, and biggest lessons that took him from startup founder to industry leader.
62 min
16
Leadership Reality Check: How to Align Your Int...
Why do 8 in 10 leaders accidentally repel their teams? (Hint: It’s not their strategy.) Sylvie di Giusto—part neuroscientist, part 3D wizard—unlocks the secret to aligning your intent with your team’s reality.
58 min
17
The Exit Playbook: Why Acquisitions Are Your Fa...
What if you could skip the 3-year startup grind and scale your business… by buying one instead?
54 min
18
Charge Confidently: How Value Transforms Sales ...
I sat down with Chris Do to shatter outdated pricing models and explore the power of value-based pricing. If you are still stuck in charging hourly and want to make to scale efficiently using value based pricing. Here's how
73 min
19
Master AI Before It Masters You
Elevate your content creation strategy with AI Dive into a conversation where Adam Strong and Ruben Hassid address the resistance to new technology, highlight powerful tools for digital growth, offer actionable insights, and predict future trends shaping the content creation landscape
71 min
20
Scaling Secrets: Why Most Businesses Fail & How...
From a One-Man Show to a Global Empire: The Entrepreneurial Secrets No One Talks About! If you’ve ever felt stuck in the day-to-day grind of your business, struggling to scale or break free from the constant hustle, this episode is going to change everything
46 min
21
Investor Insights - the secret to fast funding!
Struggling to raise capital while scaling your business? You’re not alone. Most founders follow outdated fundraising advice—and that’s why they fail. Today, investor and entrepreneur Callum Laing joins Adam to reveal how the smartest founders attract investment, not chase it.
67 min
22
From the Track to the Boardroom: Resilience, St...
This week’s episode is from the podcast ‘Always Another Game’ features Shaun Thompson having conversations with Adam Strong, a long-distance runner turned business strategist, who shares how lessons from sport translate into business and personal growth.
52 min
23
Unlock Business Growth: The Leadership Blueprin...
If you're feeling stuck in the day-to-day grind, overwhelmed by operations, and wondering why scaling your business feels impossible, this episode of The Business Strategist is exactly what you need. I’m breaking down the 5 leadership shifts every founder must make to scale and exit successfully
17 min
24
Breaking Free from Reactive Leadership
If you're tired of being stuck in reactive leadership—juggling endless tasks, firefighting daily problems, and feeling like your business depends entirely on you—this episode of The Business Strategist is your breakthrough moment. I’m sharing the exact strategies you need to reclaim your time, empower your team, and step into the role of a visionary leader.
18 min
25
Five Top Trends To Transform Your Business in 2025
Imagine being successful in 2025 all because you followed the biggest trends and took advantage of being one of the first to use them
17 min