Legends of Scale

Today we talk with Lori McDonald, founder of Brilliance Business Solutions. A 20-person ecomm marketing agency.

Show Notes

Today we talk with Lori McDonald, founder of Brilliance Business Solutions. A 20-person ecomm marketing agency.

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00:00 We Sold Out — Then Hit a Wall
00:19 NASA to Founder: Lori’s Unlikely Career Pivot
00:49 The Brutal “Hobby vs Business” Moment
04:11 The Price Increase That Changed Everything
06:20 Know Your Numbers or Stall Your Growth
08:27 Fixed Bid vs Hourly: What Actually Protects Margins
11:24 “Success Plans”: Win-Win Retainers That Work
11:53 The Leadership Skill Most Teams Avoid: Healthy Conflict
15:35 How to Introduce Conflict Culture After an Acquisition
20:31 Gossip, Triangling, and Unhealthy Team Dynamics
27:59 They Thought Remote Would Fail — They Were Wrong
33:50 Hiring for Values, Not Just Resume Skills
35:37 Buying a Business Isn’t “Easy Mode”
37:20 From Demand Surge to Capacity Crunch in Manufacturing
42:32 What Lori Is Focused on Now: Repeat Rate + Margin Growth

What is Legends of Scale?

In this show 7 - 8 figure founders share the truth of how they scaled their business. The business model. What they tried (and didn't work). And the scaling tricks they use to grow: SOPs? Hiring? AI?

We're joined by digital service business owners: agencies, coaches, and consultancies.