Improve Less for Better Results with Chad Bareither
Release Date: 06/17/2025
Stop Watching the Scoreboard and Start Changing the Game
Everyday Business Problems
In this solo episode of the Everyday Business Problems podcast, Dave Crysler breaks down one of the most common mistakes leaders make, tracking the wrong metrics. He explains why most KPI reports simply “tell the news” instead of helping teams act, and how shifting focus to leading indicators creates real visibility, accountability, and proactive decision-making. What You’ll Discover: The difference between leading and lagging indicators, and why it matters. Why “more data” isn’t better if it’s not actionable. A simple example of how leading indicators can predict...
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Are You Building Systems or Just Creating Workarounds?
Everyday Business Problems
In this solo episode of the Everyday Business Problems podcast, Dave Crysler tackles a question every leader should be asking, are you building real systems or just layering new tools and workarounds on top of old problems? Drawing from client stories and his own experience leading operational transformations, Dave breaks down why technology alone doesn’t fix process issues, how poor change management drives inefficiency, and what it really takes to create smoother, more scalable systems. What You’ll Discover: Why tools aren’t systems, and what’s missing when you treat them that way....
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How Financial Forecasting Drives Sustainable Growth
Everyday Business Problems
In this episode of the Everyday Business Problems podcast, Dave Crysler sits down with Josh Notes, serial entrepreneur, CFO, and dealmaker, to unpack how financial storytelling connects the dots between operations, cash flow, and sustainable growth. Together, they explore how leaders can use numbers to forecast what comes next, make smarter decisions, and unlock opportunities hiding in plain sight. What You’ll Discover: What financial storytelling really means and how it ties operations to financial health. Why so many growing businesses struggle with cash flow visibility, and how...
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You Don’t Need a New ERP, You Need to Use the One You Have
Everyday Business Problems
In this solo episode of the Everyday Business Problems podcast, Dave Crysler breaks down why most technology issues aren’t really tool problems, they’re planning, people, and process problems in disguise. Drawing from years of leading ERP implementations across multiple facilities, Dave explains how configuration and implementation often make or break success, and why chasing the next shiny system rarely solves the root cause. What You’ll Discover: The two biggest factors that determine whether any tool, ERP, CRM, or otherwise, actually works. Why configuration and implementation...
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How to Build a Change Management Timeline That Actually Works
Everyday Business Problems
In this solo episode of the Everyday Business Problems podcast, Dave Crysler tackles one of the most common leadership questions: “How fast can we make this change happen?” Drawing from real-world client stories and decades of operational experience, Dave breaks down why most change efforts stall, not because of strategy or tools, but because leaders underestimate the time, clarity, and consistency real change takes. What You’ll Discover: Why change management timelines matter, and how to build them for real progress. The difference between focusing on actions versus dates when...
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The Real Purpose of Strategic Planning
Everyday Business Problems
In this solo episode of the Everyday Business Problems podcast, Dave Crysler dives into what strategic planning really means, and why most businesses mistake goals for strategy. Drawing from his experience leading multi-facility operations and growing small businesses, Dave breaks down how to create alignment around your “North Star,” connect data with action, and build a plan that drives clarity, accountability, and sustainable growth. What You’ll Discover: Why understanding your North Star matters more than a spreadsheet full of goals. How to move from spot treatment to systems...
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How to use Chain of Custody for Root Cause Analysis
Everyday Business Problems
In this solo episode of the Everyday Business Problems podcast, Dave Crysler takes a fresh look at root cause analysis through the lens of chain of custody. Borrowed from legal and logistics contexts, this concept helps leaders trace every handoff, touchpoint, and variable to get to the bottom of complex or intermittent problems that never seem to stay solved. Dave shares how he first learned about chain of custody, how it connects to real-world problem-solving in manufacturing and service environments, and the five-step approach you can use to uncover and eliminate hidden process issues for...
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Revenue vs Profit vs Cash Flow
Everyday Business Problems
In this solo episode of the Everyday Business Problems podcast, Dave Crysler unpacks one of the most common traps leaders fall into, chasing revenue at the expense of profit and cash flow. Drawing from his experience leading multiple print and manufacturing operations, Dave breaks down why “good” revenue isn’t always good for your business and how to evaluate whether your top customers are fueling growth or creating unnecessary risk. What You’ll Discover: The real difference between revenue, profit, and cash flow, and why it matters more than most realize. How to spot the...
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What a Good KPI Report Actually Looks Like
Everyday Business Problems
In this solo episode of the Everyday Business Problems podcast, Dave Crysler dives into KPI reports, what they are, how to build them, and why most fall short of driving real value. He breaks down the differences between dashboards and reports, explores the roles of leading and lagging indicators, and offers a practical approach to building reports that don’t just deliver the news but actually help move the needle. Whether you're starting from scratch or inheriting a reporting process, this episode will help you rethink how you use data to influence outcomes. What You’ll Discover: What...
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How to Use AI in Business: Start With Clean Data, Not Fancy Tools
Everyday Business Problems
In this solo episode of the Everyday Business Problems podcast, Dave Crysler dives into the foundational role clean data plays in leveraging advanced analytics and AI tools. Sharing real-world client stories and personal insights, Dave unpacks how poor data governance and integrity issues can derail even the best tech investments. He outlines a practical five-step framework to help you clean up your data, tighten your systems, and future-proof your business for smarter decision-making. What You’ll Discover: Why clean, reliable data is a non-negotiable for successful AI and analytics...
info_outlineIn this episode of the Everyday Business Problems podcast, Dave Crysler welcomes Chad Bareither, Principal Consultant at The Bareither Group and author of Improve Less. Chad shares his Focus and Align framework, a strategy for narrowing your improvement efforts to achieve sustainable business results. Together, they unpack why most organizations take on too much change at once, and how to shift your approach to focus on the work that truly matters. From daily management to cultural transformation, this episode is full of practical advice for leaders looking to stabilize costs, expand capacity, and grow profitability.
What You'll Discover:
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Why “doing less” can lead to more meaningful and sustainable improvements.
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How the Focus and Align framework helps leaders prioritize, align, and take action.
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Real-world examples of reducing project overload and increasing momentum.
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How to build buy-in by making process changes meaningful to frontline teams.
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The importance of consistent updates, clear communication, and avoiding initiative fatigue.
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How small and large businesses can overcome different obstacles to operational excellence.
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Tips for embedding tools like 5S and problem-solving in a way that actually sticks.