Brian Gottlieb, Author of Beyond the Hammer, on Hiring to Your Weaknesses, Leading a Culture of Development, and Building Problem-Solving Systems

Supermanagers

In episode 16 of season 2, we sit down with Brian Gottlieb, author of Beyond the Hammer and a visionary business leader who scaled his home services company from a $3,000 startup to a $150 million enterprise. Brian shares his unique approach to leadership, focusing on hiring to your weaknesses and empowering others to fill the gaps where you fall short. He dives deep into how he built a culture of development, transforming his company into a training organization where employees are constantly learning and growing.

Brian also emphasizes the importance of problem-solving systems — creating scalable solutions that allow teams to work autonomously and solve issues without micromanagement. Through powerful examples from his own journey, Brian explains how leaders can build systems that enable sustainable growth and foster employee development.

Tune in to learn how Brian's leadership philosophy, rooted in empowering others and leading with purpose, can help you build a strong, high-performing culture in your organization.

You’ll find this episode valuable if you’re a leader looking to hire effectively, develop talent, and create scalable systems for long-term success!

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TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[02:45] Brian’s journey from a $3,000 startup to a $150 million company

[06:19] The importance of hiring to your weaknesses

[10:25] Brian’s epiphany about focusing on people development

[12:20] Transitioning a company to a training organization

[14:02] The Harvard Business School executive program

[19:01] Creating a manager training program to drive alignment and growth

[24:01] Using stay interviews to retain employees and gain feedback

[27:30] Aligning a business with clear mission and vision statements

[29:12] How daily huddles helped streamline communication and management

👉 Check out the resources mentioned here: https://fellow.app/supermanagers/brian-gottlieb

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Connect with Brian on LinkedIn
• Read Brian’s book Beyond the Hammer
• Join the Supermanagers Slack community
• Connect with Aydin on LinkedIn
• Follow Fellow on LinkedIn