Meet the Guest: Brad Farris
Brad’s philosophy is rooted in the idea that true success is driven less by what you do and more by who you decide to be—arguing that the biggest hurdle to your firm’s growth is often located “between your ears.”
Why “Hard Work” Stops Your Scaling
For most entrepreneurs, “hustle” is the fuel that gets a business off the ground. However, Brad Farris explains that the very habits that helped you reach six figures will actively hold you back from reaching the next level.
- The Startup Phase: Success is driven by individual hustle and “spinning plates” to keep everything moving.
- The Scaling Phase: When you grow a team, that same hustle creates a “hub and spoke” model where every decision must go through you. This makes you the bottleneck, forcing your staff to wait for your input before they can move forward.
The Identity Shift: From “Doer” to “Leader”
To escape the trap, you must undergo a fundamental identity shift.
“We have to stop thinking of ourselves as the person who does the thing, the person who’s fixing the problem… and instead start thinking of ourselves as the person who’s creating the environment where other people are getting stuff done,” Farris says.
This shift requires:
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Relinquishing Control: Accepting that your team may do things differently—and often better—than you would.
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Empowering Through Failure: Giving younger staff the ability to try, fail, and learn so they can develop their own professional efficacy.
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Focusing on Results, Not Reports: Moving away from managing daily steps and focusing on high-level outcomes and new revenue streams.
The “Vacation Test”: How Dependent is Your Firm?
How do you know if you’ve successfully stepped back? Farris suggests taking an unannounced vacation or attending a conference.
When you return, look at what was left undone. Anything that stalled in your absence is a clear indicator of a lack of empowerment or training within your team. A healthy firm should continue to operate seamlessly even when the leader isn’t in the room.
The 2% Rule for Massive Growth
Scaling doesn’t require a total overnight overhaul. Farris recommends the 2% Rule: make a 2% improvement every week.
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Spend 2% more time taking care of your health (sleep, nutrition, and exercise).
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Spend 2% more attention on strategic visionary planning.
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Spend 2% more time with loved ones and friends.
Take the Next Step Toward Freedom
If you’re ready to stop being the bottleneck and start building a premier accounting firm that works without you, listen to the full episode with Brad Farris.
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