Success in Business by Working Smarter, Not Harder with Sam Carpenter (Centratel) — How Systems Thinking Built a $7M Call Center, 25–30% Profit Margins, Total Freedom, and the “Work the System” philosophy. (Episode 762 - Sam Carpenter)

In this episode of the Grow A Small Business Podcast, host Troy Trewin interviews Sam Carpenter, founder and CEO of Centratel, shares how he built a $7M emergency call center business by focusing on systems instead of hustle. Sam opens up about working 80–100 hour weeks, hitting burnout, and the mindset shift that changed everything. He explains his “Work the System” philosophy and how documenting processes created freedom, profit, and scale. The conversation dives into pricing courage, delegation, and building a business that runs without you. A powerful lesson on achieving real success in business through clarity, structure, and smart leadership.

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Troy delves into our guest's startup journey, their perception of success, industry reconsideration, and the pivotal stress point during business expansion. They discuss the joys of small business growth, vital entrepreneurial habits, and strategies for team building, encompassing wins, blunders, and invaluable advice.

And a snapshot of the final five Grow A Small Business Questions:

1. What do you think is the hardest thing in growing a small business?
   
   According to Sam Carpenter, the hardest thing in growing a small business is enduring the long hours and mental pressure while trying to balance relationships and personal life. Early on, business consumes your mind 24/7, which can strain health, family, and focus. He explains that most owners feel overwhelmed because they see the business as chaos instead of separate systems. The real challenge is learning to step back, stop reacting emotionally, and work on the business mechanically. Once you shift that mindset, growth becomes manageable and sustainable.
   
   

2. What's your favorite business book that has helped you the most?
   
   Sam Carpenter’s favorite business book — the one he says helped him the most — is “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael E. Gerber. He often credits it with shifting his mindset from working in the business to working on the business by building systems. It deeply influenced his “Work the System” philosophy and helped him see how to structure processes so the business can run without burning out the founder.
   
   

3. Are there any great podcasts or online learning resources you'd recommend to help grow a small business?
   
   According to Sam Carpenter, he doesn’t really rely on podcasts or fancy online learning platforms for growing a small business; instead, he believes the most powerful resource is reading books deeply and consistently. He prefers learning through focused reading and real-world application rather than consuming endless content. Sam emphasizes using simple, reliable tools like email and basic software, avoiding distractions, and developing long attention spans through reading, clear thinking, and systems-based learning rather than chasing trends or tools.
   
   
   

4. What tool or resource would you recommend to grow a small business?
   
   One tool Sam Carpenter would recommend for growing a small business is a process documentation system — it doesn’t have to be fancy, just something that gets you thinking in systems rather than chaos. Many business owners use tools like Notion, Evernote, or Google Docs to write down and organize standard operating procedures, workflows, and checklists. Sam’s whole philosophy is about capturing how your business actually works so you can improve it, delegate it, and scale it. The power isn’t in the software itself — it’s in consistently writing, refining, and using your documented processes to free up time and create predictable results.
   
   

5. What advice would you give yourself on day one of starting out in business?
   
   Sam Carpenter says that if he could advise himself on day one, he’d say: stop running the business emotionally and start running it mechanically. Instead of seeing the business as chaos, he’d focus on breaking it into separate systems, fixing the biggest problem first, and documenting everything early. He believes years of stress could have been avoided by working on the business instead of being trapped in it. The core lesson: face reality, build systems, and don’t try to be the hero.

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Quotable quotes from our special Grow A Small Business podcast guest:

A business isn’t chaos — it’s a collection of systems, and the moment you see that, everything changes — Sam Carpenter

Freedom in business comes from documentation, delegation, and discipline — Sam Carpenter

Stop trying to be the hero and start building a machine that works — Sam Carpenter

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