Most business owners head into a new year chasing big goals and big growth, while quietly ignoring the numbers that actually determine whether the business wins or bleeds.

In this episode of The Idaho Business Podcast, we break down why profits are unnatural, why they disappear without discipline, and how reviewing your KPI's, P&L, and balance sheet at year-end gives you real leverage going into the new year.

We walk through the 2–3% Rule—how small, intentional improvements in turnover, pricing, and expense control can create massive, compounding results. You'll hear practical examples, including what reducing employee turnover by just 3% can do for a 50-person team, and how a modest 2–3% price increase across 90 customers can add tens of thousands of dollars to your bottom line.

This isn't about working harder or chasing a miracle year. It's about tightening standards, assigning ownership, and making disciplined decisions that protect profit and strengthen your business for long-term growth.

If you're serious about running a cleaner, more profitable business—and not just a busy one—this episode is your starting point.

If you are feeling the love, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you are!!

If you'd like to be featured on an episode go to theidahobusinesspodcast.com to APPLY!

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Most business owners are laser-focused on one thing at tax time: paying as little as possible. On the surface, that feels smart. In reality, it can quietly shut the door on financing, real estate deals, acquisitions, and long-term growth.

In this episode, we talk straight about the hidden cost of aggressive write-offs and why writing everything off can make it nearly impossible to get approved for loans or build real wealth. Using a real-world investment property example, we break down how lenders actually view your financials, what "clean income" really means, and why your tax return is one of the most important documents you'll ever produce as a business owner.

You'll learn:

• The difference between reckless write-offs and strategic tax planning
  
  

• Common personal expenses business owners run through their companies that create legal and financial risk
  
  

• How intertwining personal and business expenses can lead to piercing the corporate veil
  
  

• What reasonable addbacks lenders often accept—and how to document them properly
  
  

• Why paying some taxes can actually unlock bigger opportunities

This episode is a must-listen for Idaho business owners who want to think bigger, get bankable, and stop writing themselves out of opportunity.

If you are feeling the love, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you are!!

If you'd like to be featured on an episode go to theidahobusinesspodcast.com to APPLY!

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

The holidays expose the truth about your culture—either you've built a real team or you've got a group of people merely sharing a schedule. In this episode, we dig into what it actually takes to treat your people like a true team, not just employees who punch a clock.

You'll hear why core values are the backbone of every healthy business, how leaders can bring them to life instead of letting them die on a poster, and why injecting fun into your company isn't childish—it's your competitive advantage. When your team feels connected, valued, and part of something meaningful, turnover drops, morale rises, clients notice, and your bottom line gets stronger.

We'll talk about simple, memorable ways to make the holidays a culture-building season—like handing out label-maker trophies ("Most likely to lock their keys in the car," "Smells the best," "Most likely to get confused but still crush it"). It's goofy, it's human, and it builds buy-in faster than another motivational speech.

With wisdom drawn from Mike Campion, Patrick Bet-David, Alex Hormozi, and Russell Brunson, this episode reminds you that team culture isn't a luxury—it's the engine behind growth, retention, and a business people actually want to work in.

If you're ready to build a place where people stay, grow, and show up with energy, this episode will point you in the right direction.

If you are feeling the love, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you are!!

If you'd like to be featured on an episode go to theidahobusinesspodcast.com to APPLY!

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

AI is changing the game for small businesses—especially in places like Idaho where most owners are still trying to figure out how to use it. In this episode, we break down the exact prompts every Idaho business owner should be using to sharpen strategy, improve sales conversations, tighten operations, strengthen hiring, and free up more time.

You'll learn how to use AI as a practical, everyday tool—not some techy fad—to write better messages, build systems, solve team issues, spot financial risks, and even balance your work and family life with more intention.

If you've ever wished you had a consultant, strategist, or operations expert on call 24/7, this episode shows you how AI can fill that gap. One strong prompt at a time.

Perfect for:
• service companies
• contractors
• real estate pros
• retail shops
• restaurants
• professional services
• any Idaho entrepreneur who wants to run a tighter, more profitable business

Listen in and start asking stronger questions—because strong questions build strong businesses.

If you are feeling the love, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you are!!

If you'd like to be featured on an episode go to theidahobusinesspodcast.com to APPLY!

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

If your marketing is falling flat, this episode tells you exactly why — you're talking about yourself instead of speaking directly to the person you want to serve. In this straight-shooting breakdown, Spencer shows you how shifting from "we/our/my" language to "you/your" language instantly transforms the way your prospects see you.

You'll learn how to identify your perfect prospect using the same framework taught by Mike Campion, including the exact demographic, psychographic, and behavior questions you should be asking (pulled straight from the Perfect Prospect Survey). You'll discover how to understand your prospect's real fears, frustrations, and desires so clearly that they feel like you're reading their mind — and why that's the key to creating marketing that actually converts.

Spencer also shares how to build a powerful leave-behind piece that continues selling for you long after you walk out of the building. With insights from Russell Brunson, Alex Hormozi, and Michael Gerber woven in, this episode gives you the blueprint to reconnect your message to the person who matters most: your ideal buyer.

If you've been throwing marketing darts blindfolded, this episode hands you the target — and the strategy to hit it every time.

If you are feeling the love, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you are!!

If you'd like to be featured on an episode go to theidahobusinesspodcast.com to APPLY!

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

In this episode of The Idaho Business Podcast, Spencer sits down with Garrett Foster — a business builder, consultant, and founder of Prevail Legacy Builders — to talk about what it really takes to scale beyond self-employment.

They unpack the transition from working in your business to working on it, the 80/20 rule of delegation, and why having the right people in the right seats can make or break your growth. Garrett shares his journey from the construction industry to providing fractional CFO, COO, and HR services that help entrepreneurs step out of the weeds and back into strategic leadership.

Spencer and Garrett also dig into the personal side of scaling — the mental and emotional challenges, the importance of systems, and how adversity can actually make you a stronger, more intentional leader.

If you're ready to grow a business that can thrive without you, this episode is packed with insight, experience, and practical tools to help you do just that.

If you are feeling the love, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you are!!

If you'd like to be featured on an episode go to theidahobusinesspodcast.com to APPLY!

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Today on the Idaho Business Podcast, Spencer sits down with Seth Horst—realtor in beautiful Coeur d'Alene, retired California Highway Patrol officer turned Idaho convert, and host of the Idaho Experience podcast (and the North Idaho Experience YouTube channel). Seth shares how his team of former first responders and veterans grew by being unapologetically themselves, niching hard, and attracting clients who share their values. They dig into why culture beats everything, how clear core values filter both hires and clients, and why North Idaho's throwback, say-hi-to-strangers vibe makes community the real selling point.

You'll hear how niching actually reduces marketing cost while increasing trust, why "all money is not good money," and what it takes to scale a team without losing your soul. Seth also talks community work—from long-form local conversations to a judicial watch effort—and why informed citizens keep Idaho, Idaho.

Lightning Round: Seth's current read is Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell, and his "myth to bust" is that casting a wide net wins—it's the niche that wins.

Sponsor Shoutouts:

• Health West — great people, great care, growing across Idaho. Look them up and see what they can do for your family.
  
  

• Nucleane Commercial Cleaning — From Twin Falls to Rexburg. Mention the podcast and claim a free one-time service (carpet clean, disinfecting fog, etc.)—no strings attached.
  
  

Connect with Seth: Search NorthIdahoExperience.com and the North Idaho Experience on YouTube/podcast platforms.

If you are feeling the love, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you are!!

If you'd like to be featured on an episode go to theidahobusinesspodcast.com to APPLY!

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

In this episode, Spencer sits down with Giuseppe Grammatico — "The Franchise Guide" — a franchise consultant who's helped over 1,000 corporate executives escape the grind and achieve financial and time freedom through smart franchise ownership.

Giuseppe shares his journey from corporate mergers and layoffs to building a thriving business helping others do the same. Together, Spencer and Giuseppe talk about the real advantages of franchising — getting access to proven systems, built-in training, and support — all without having to reinvent the wheel.

They break down common misconceptions about franchising (hint: it's not just fast food), and how executives can actually own a franchise while keeping their day job.

If you've ever felt stuck in your corporate role, uncertain about your next move, or curious about owning a business with a playbook for success, this episode will open your eyes to what's possible.

👉 Learn more about Giuseppe at ggthefranchiseguide.com

If you are feeling the love, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you are!!

If you'd like to be featured on an episode go to theidahobusinesspodcast.com to APPLY!

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube