1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 Owners whose name sits in every key seat: close the gap between what you plan and what gets done. Justin Goodbread sits down with Renee Russo, CEPA, EPI's 2026 Exit Planner of the Year and author of Ready to Rise, whose client sold for nine figures. In this episode: When Renee Russo started with one of her first clients, his software company was just over $1 million in revenue and his name sat in every key seat on the org chart. He wanted to 10x the business. Renee started with first things first: let go of control and hire people who are better than you across the accountability chart. Five years later he sold the company for nine figures. Renee and Justin dig into the execution gap, the space between what an owner says will happen and what actually gets done. Renee explains why owners resist the very systems that would set them loose, and why most cannot describe their own Stanley Cup or Super Bowl outcome, even though they watch championship teams run on structure every weekend. They cover accountability infrastructure: the right seats, a 90-day cadence, a clear scoreboard, and critical success factors rather than a pile of KPIs. They also talk about why owners hear conflicting advice from bankers, CPAs, and attorneys, when it makes sense to hire a CEO and step back into the seat you love, and why the entity needs an identity of its own to attract leaders, customers, and buyers. About Renee Russo: Renee Russo, CEPA, is the founder of Rise Up Business Coaching, the author of Ready to Rise, and the Exit Planning Institute's 2026 Peter Christman Exit Planner of the Year. A former KPMG accountant, she learned the cost of a business without structure inside her own family business before spending the last decade helping founders get off the field and into the head coach seat. What you'll learn: What the execution gap is and why working harder will not close it Why owners resist systems and hold on to control How a client went from just over $1 million to a nine-figure exit in five years How to build accountability infrastructure with seats, a 90-day cadence, and a scoreboard Critical success factors versus KPIs When hiring a CEO is a terrible idea and when it works Why the business needs an identity beyond the owner Humble, hungry, smart: the traits of owners who scale fastest Key takeaways: The entity needs an identity, something for leaders, customers, and suppliers to pull toward. Without accountability infrastructure, hiring a CEO is a terrible idea. With it, the owner can return to the work they do best. Action step: draw your current org chart and mark every seat you sit in. Who this episode is for: owners of small and service-based businesses who hold every key seat, are searching for how to delegate, build accountability, or make a business run without them, and owners thinking about a future exit. Resources mentioned: Renee Russo on LinkedIn Rise Up Business Coaching: riseupbc.com Book: Ready to Rise, by Renee Russo Exit planners and owners who closed the execution gap can apply to join Justin: https://www.decamillionairedecoded.com/ If you advise business owners on growth or exit, the Million Dollar Advisor training shows how Justin built accountability into his own firm: https://youtu.be/84rh5RNuvvM DecaMillionaire Decoded https://www.decamillionairedecoded.com/ <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/43257118/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/item/43257118