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You've got the vision, the big ideas, the entrepreneurial fire—but here's the truth bomb nobody talks about: Most businesses don't fail because of bad ideas. They fail because of bad operations.
Today's guest is Lisi Kempton, aka The Mindful COO, and she's here to tell you why you might be quietly sabotaging your own success. We're diving deep into the seven biggest mistakes business owners make when scaling—from running a $200,000 business without even a business bank account (yes, really) to burning out doing work you hate in a business you built for freedom.
Lisi breaks down the difference between being a visionary CEO and an integrator COO—and why trying to be both might be what's keeping you stuck. If you've ever felt like you're fighting fires instead of building an empire, or if you're making good money but working yourself into the ground, this episode is your wake-up call.
**What You'll Learn**
- The CEO vs COO framework: Visionary vs Integrator (and why you can't be both)
- Why most businesses operate without budgets—and the cost of that gap
- The seven biggest operational mistakes that sabotage scaling
- How to identify which role YOU should actually be playing
- When to hire operational support (hint: it's when things break, not before)
- Why departmental thinking is essential for growth beyond six figures
- The real reason business owners burn out—and how operations fixes it
- How to get perspective when you're too deep in your business
**Key Insights**
- Most people want to be CEO, but few understand the COO role is equally critical
- Operations takes a great idea and makes it scalable—it's the execution engine
- Business owners wear all the hats early on, which creates internal conflict
- The "fighting fires" feeling is a signal your operations need attention
- Awareness is the first step—you can't fix what you don't see
- External perspective is invaluable when you're stuck in the weeds
- Having a budget isn't optional—it's foundational to scaling safely
Click here to watch a video of this episode.
**About Lisi Kempton**
Lisi Kempton is The Mindful COO, a business operations expert who helps service-based entrepreneurs scale without burnout. Drawing on the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) framework and years of hands-on experience, she specializes in helping visionary CEOs implement the systems, structures, and team dynamics needed to execute their big ideas. Her approach blends strategic operations with mindfulness, ensuring sustainable growth that doesn't sacrifice the founder's sanity.
**Connect with Lisi**
Website: https://soultreeops.com
Email: lisi@lisikempton.com
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lisikempton
YouTube: Mindful Business Expansion
**Links & Resources**
Lisi's Website: https://soultreeops.com
Traction by Gino Wickman: https://www.eosworldwide.com/traction
Path 2 Profit Bookkeeping and Tax: https://path2profitbookkeeping.io
Goal Getter Media: https://goalgettermedia.io
Service Based Business Society Podcast: https://podcast.servicebasedbusinesssociety.com
If this episode resonates, subscribe and share it with a service-based founder who needs to stop wearing all the hats and start building the right team.
#operations #servicebusiness #entrepreneurship #CEO #COO #businessgrowth #scaling #systems #leadership #EOS #traction #integrator #visionary #burnout #businessstrategy #tiffanyannbottcher #lisikempton #mindfulCOO
Today's guest is Lisi Kempton, aka The Mindful COO, and she's here to tell you why you might be quietly sabotaging your own success. We're diving deep into the seven biggest mistakes business owners make when scaling—from running a $200,000 business without even a business bank account (yes, really) to burning out doing work you hate in a business you built for freedom.
Lisi breaks down the difference between being a visionary CEO and an integrator COO—and why trying to be both might be what's keeping you stuck. If you've ever felt like you're fighting fires instead of building an empire, or if you're making good money but working yourself into the ground, this episode is your wake-up call.
**What You'll Learn**
- The CEO vs COO framework: Visionary vs Integrator (and why you can't be both)
- Why most businesses operate without budgets—and the cost of that gap
- The seven biggest operational mistakes that sabotage scaling
- How to identify which role YOU should actually be playing
- When to hire operational support (hint: it's when things break, not before)
- Why departmental thinking is essential for growth beyond six figures
- The real reason business owners burn out—and how operations fixes it
- How to get perspective when you're too deep in your business
**Key Insights**
- Most people want to be CEO, but few understand the COO role is equally critical
- Operations takes a great idea and makes it scalable—it's the execution engine
- Business owners wear all the hats early on, which creates internal conflict
- The "fighting fires" feeling is a signal your operations need attention
- Awareness is the first step—you can't fix what you don't see
- External perspective is invaluable when you're stuck in the weeds
- Having a budget isn't optional—it's foundational to scaling safely
Click here to watch a video of this episode.
**About Lisi Kempton**
Lisi Kempton is The Mindful COO, a business operations expert who helps service-based entrepreneurs scale without burnout. Drawing on the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) framework and years of hands-on experience, she specializes in helping visionary CEOs implement the systems, structures, and team dynamics needed to execute their big ideas. Her approach blends strategic operations with mindfulness, ensuring sustainable growth that doesn't sacrifice the founder's sanity.
**Connect with Lisi**
Website: https://soultreeops.com
Email: lisi@lisikempton.com
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lisikempton
YouTube: Mindful Business Expansion
**Links & Resources**
Lisi's Website: https://soultreeops.com
Traction by Gino Wickman: https://www.eosworldwide.com/traction
Path 2 Profit Bookkeeping and Tax: https://path2profitbookkeeping.io
Goal Getter Media: https://goalgettermedia.io
Service Based Business Society Podcast: https://podcast.servicebasedbusinesssociety.com
If this episode resonates, subscribe and share it with a service-based founder who needs to stop wearing all the hats and start building the right team.
#operations #servicebusiness #entrepreneurship #CEO #COO #businessgrowth #scaling #systems #leadership #EOS #traction #integrator #visionary #burnout #businessstrategy #tiffanyannbottcher #lisikempton #mindfulCOO
Creators and Guests
Host
Guest
Lisi Kempton
Lisi Kempton is a Fractional COO and Business Growth Strategist with more than 20 years of experience helping established, impact-driven entrepreneurs scale sustainably. She’s worked with businesses of every size—from solopreneurs to Fortune 500s—and brings a rare, 360-degree perspective on what truly drives growth. As Founder of SoulTree Operations and creator of the Mindful Millions Method™, Lisi helps entrepreneurs build businesses that grow intentionally with systems and strategy—not stress and sacrifice.
What is Service Based Business Society Podcast?
Attention entrepreneurs!
Welcome to the Service Based Business Society Podcast, hosted by Tiffany-Ann Bottcher—author of The Data Driven Method, mom of three, and multi-business entrepreneur who knows what it’s really like to scale.
This isn’t another highlight reel podcast. Here, we get real about the entrepreneurial journey—the wins, the setbacks, and the messy middle that no one talks about. Each week Tiffany-Ann pulls back the curtain to share hard-earned lessons, practical strategies, and stories that will help you build a business that actually works in the real world.
Along the way, you’ll hear from expert guests who bring fresh insights on growth, leadership, and sustainability—so you’re not just learning theory, you’re learning from people who’ve lived it.
What You’ll Get Each Week:
Mindset:
Real conversations about what it takes mentally and emotionally to succeed—developing resilience, overcoming self-doubt, and building the confidence to keep going when business feels hard.
Data-Driven Decisions:
Straightforward strategies to help you use numbers to lead smarter, not just harder. Learn how to interpret your data, make informed decisions, and build predictable, sustainable profit.
Relatable Entrepreneur Stories:
The good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly sides of entrepreneurship. Tiffany-Ann and her guests share behind-the-scenes stories that prove you’re not alone on this journey.
Business Strategy & Trends:
From marketing and technology to bookkeeping and scaling teams, stay ahead of the curve with insights you can actually implement in your service-based business.
Whether you’re just starting out or scaling to the next level, this podcast is your go-to resource for practical advice, authentic stories, and the motivation to keep building the business you know is possible.
The Service Based Business Society Podcast—brought to you by Goal Getter Media, a Bottcher Group Company.