202. Breaking The Growth Ceiling: The Proven System That Helps Entrepreneurs Scale with Meryl Simmons
Release Date: 02/11/2025
222. The Hidden Career Grief No One Talks About When You Leave Corporate - with Laverne McKinnon
Life After Corporate
Have you ever left a job—by choice or not—and wondered why stepping into entrepreneurship still feels so heavy? Many high-achieving women discover that leaving behind a corporate role is more than a change in title; it’s an emotional and spiritual upheaval. In this week’s episode, host Deb Boulanger welcomes career strategist and grief recovery specialist Laverne McKinnon, who reveals why professional heartbreaks can spark lasting transformation. You’ll discover why grieving job loss is not just logical but essential, how disenfranchised grief uniquely affects ambitious women in...
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221. What I learned about closing deals from the FBI Negotiator, Chris Voss.
Life After Corporate
Are you convinced you know how to build trust and close deals—or could everything you’ve learned about sales and negotiation be… wrong? Today's episode of Life After Corporate, is a “Fan Favorite”. Host Deb Boulanger sits down with world-renowned negotiation expert and author of "Never Split the Difference," Chris Voss. What if the secret to sales success isn’t pitching or persuading, but mastering the art of emotional intelligence—and knowing exactly what’s going on inside your prospect’s mind? Chris shares gripping stories from his days as an FBI hostage negotiator...
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220. The #1 Legal Mistake New Entrepreneurs Make — And How to Avoid It" - with Latrice Smith, Esq.
Life After Corporate
220. The #1 Legal Mistake New Entrepreneurs Make — And How to Avoid It" - with Latrice Smith, Esq. Are you building your dream business on shaky legal ground? It’s a common — and costly — mistake. In this episode of Life After Corporate, host Deb Boulanger sits down with attorney and entrepreneur Latrice Smith, Esq., to unpack the legal essentials most new business owners overlook. Whether you’re choosing between an LLC vs S Corp, drafting your first client agreements, or just trying to figure out how to start a consulting business without screwing it up, this...
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219. Are We Doing Facebook Groups Wrong? Key Lessons on Growing Your Business with Facebook with Tracy Beavers
Life After Corporate
In this episode of Life After Corporate, we unravel the myths around Facebook’s effectiveness for marketing, especially for coaches and consultants making the leap from corporate life. Deb Boulanger welcomes dynamic business growth strategist Tracy Beavers, CEO of Tracy Beavers Coaching, to share her insights on how Facebook, when harnessed intentionally, remains a goldmine for generating leads and building lasting business visibility. Tracy’s journey from being underestimated in corporate America to running a thriving global coaching business is packed with actionable tips on sales,...
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218. Attention Alchemy: How to Build a Business That Books Itslef
Life After Corporate
Are you pouring your heart into content but still hearing crickets when it comes to clients? Discover the Attention Alchemy™, the secret formula of how to turn visibility into revenue. Listen to your host, Deb Boulanger, as she reveals how message clarity, thought leadership, and authentic business alignment attract your ideal clients without the grind. In this episode, you’ll learn the four pllars of Attention Alchemy™ to build a business that books itself. And why strategic consistency matters more than posting everywhere, and how true growth in your business comes from resonance, not...
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217. Webinar Sales Secrets Every Entrepreneur Should Know
Life After Corporate
What if your biggest revenue leak wasn’t your product, but your pitch? If you've ever delivered an amazing webinar, workshop, or training only to hear crickets when it’s time to make your offer—this episode is your turning point. Host Deb Boulanger is joined by Simone Vincenzi to dissect the hidden fears and common missteps entrepreneurs make when presenting offers, and how to transform awkward pitches into authentic invitations that convert. Together, they unravel the psychology, strategy, and subtle art of aligning your sales style with your natural communication strengths. If...
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216. Why Self-Awareness and Intuition Matter More Than Strategy
Life After Corporate
Are you relying solely on logic to navigate your entrepreneurial journey, ignoring the powerful inner voice that could accelerate your success? In this episode of Life After Corporate, host Deb Boulanger sits down with Shoshanna French, renowned for her work in intuitive leadership and founder of Simple Spirit, to explore how tuning into your intuition can transform your business decisions and outcomes. Discover why learning to trust your intuition isn’t just a “soft skill,” but a game-changer for overcoming self-doubt and building true business intuition. Learn to recognize your...
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215. Personal Growth and Alignment Strategies for Coaches with Danita Young
Life After Corporate
Are you unconsciously sabotaging your entrepreneurial journey with limiting beliefs from your corporate past? This episode of Life After Corporate dives deep into the turbulent inner journey from regular paychecks to the unpredictable realm of entrepreneurship. Host Deb Boulanger welcomes transformational coach Danita Young, who shares her raw, inspiring story of hitting rock bottom, rebuilding from failure, and ultimately discovering true alignment. Discover why mastering the inner game—overcoming anxiety, perfectionism, and self-doubt—is not just a mindset shift but the foundation for...
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214. Building Powerful Communities with Friendship First, Business Second with Inbal Claudio
Life After Corporate
Are you overlooking the true power of community in growing your business? In this episode of Life After Corporate, host Debra Boulanger sits down with three-time founder and master community builder, Imbal Claudio to unravel what it really takes to create thriving, connected spaces for women entrepreneurs. Imbal reveals her “friendship first, business second” philosophy, shares how she bootstrapped her own tech-based women’s network to 3,500+ members worldwide, and dispels the myths around easy community-building. From the emotional rollercoaster of funding a dream to the specific...
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213 Scaling Business Growth through Community Building with Entrepreneista’s Stephanie Cartin
Life After Corporate
Are you leveraging the true power of the entrepreneurial community, or are you missing out on the connections, collaborations, and resources that could completely transform your business? Host Deb Boulanger sits down with visionary entrepreneur Stephanie Cartin—cofounder of Socialfly and creator of the Entreprenista League—to unpack the real work behind scaling, selling, and supporting women-led businesses. From stories of girlhood hustles to the sophisticated systems behind a 2,500+ member-strong network, this conversation goes deep into the realities of entrepreneurship, including...
info_outlineHave you ever felt like you're spinning your wheels, working tirelessly but not seeing the growth you desire?
In this episode of Life After Corporate, host Deb Boulanger explores the intricacies of scaling a business with guest Meryl Simmons, an experienced EOS implementer. Together, they’ll uncover the secrets of building a robust business foundation, learn how to overcome growth ceilings and discover the power of a strategic coaching approach. With Meryl's expertise, you'll explore the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) and its potential to revolutionize your business journey, regardless of its size or stage. This episode is full of actionable nuggets that will equip you to scale effectively and thrive in the services sector.
Don’t wait until you hit your next ceiling; listen now to learn how intentional systems and processes can set your business on the path to sustainable growth!
[00:05- 13:29] Understanding Business Operating Systems
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EOS provides tools to clarify vision, execute strategy, and build healthy teams
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Designed for companies with 20-300 employees seeking disciplined growth
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Helps align team energy through shared language and accountability frameworks
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Solves common challenges like unclear priorities and inconsistent execution
[13:30 -19:19] Identifying Growth Ceilings
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First warning sign: Persistent lack of strategic direction
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Second indicator: Previously successful tactics stop working
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Third red flag: Inability to prioritize high-impact activities
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Fourth challenge: Founder becomes bottleneck through poor delegation
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Fifth symptom: Team operates without clear role definitions
[19:20 -24:56] Performance Measurement Tools
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Weekly dashboards tracking 5-15 leading indicators
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Balanced scorecards combining lagging and leading metrics
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Revenue goal breakdowns into monthly/client targets
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Activity-based KPIs (e.g., sales conversations per week)
[24:56 - 31:04] Sustainable Growth Practices
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Annual structural audits for functional seat effectiveness
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Continuous scorecard refinement based on metric relevance
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Delegation checklists defining outcomes and success metrics
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Prevention of founder burnout through role evolution
Connect with Meryl Simmons
Website: https://www.justgetfocused.com/
Website: http://Www.eosworldwide.com/meryl-simmons
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merylsimmons/
Books mentioned on this episode
Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business
Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business: Wickman, Gino: 9781936661831: Amazon.com: Books
Get a Grip
Free Tools mentioned on this episode
https://www.eosworldwide.com/meryl-simmons#downloads
Scorecard
https://www.justgetfocused.com/get-focused-coaching-weekly-business-dashboard-download
Go to https://lifeaftercorporate.com/podcast for all episodes
168. The Chris Voss Method for Closing the Deal!
163. Joyce Marter's Financial Mindset Fix: The Key to Unlocking Your True Abundance!
87. Secrets of Great Copywriting with Julie Cabezas
Tweetable Quotes:
"Every business needs an operating system to run effectively and efficiently and really operate and build a better business." Meryl Simmons on Aligning Human Energy
"I left and I went out on my own, and I, my husband, who's a lifelong entrepreneur, really encouraged me to do that."...Meryl Simmons on Aligning Human Energy on Entrepreneurial Journey
**TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST**
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