Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast

The biggest threat to your business isn’t external, it’s the blind spots you can’t see. In this episode of The Vital Wealth Podcast, host Patrick Lonergan sits down with Stacey Bullman, founder of I’m Not Mad at You, a consultancy built on 25 years of corporate experience and a decade of transforming small and midsize businesses. Stacey specializes in helping leaders uncover the issues hiding beneath the surface, operational gaps, leadership challenges, misaligned messaging, and missed revenue opportunities and gives them the clarity and confidence they need to move forward.

Patrick and Stacey dig into why entrepreneurs rarely diagnose their own problems correctly, how objective assessment accelerates growth, and the systems every business needs to run smoothly and profitably. From strategic planning and accountability frameworks to messaging, sales development, and financial discipline, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for leaders who feel overwhelmed, stuck in the weeds, or unsure where to focus next. It’s a must-listen for anyone ready to make better decisions, build stronger teams, and create a business that truly works.

Key Takeaways

• Why entrepreneurs often overlook the most costly issues inside their own business
• How Stacey’s Wheel Assessment exposes leadership, cultural, and operational blind spots
• The CEO hourly value formula and why doing low-value work hurts growth
• The essential elements of a strategic plan that gets executed, not ignored
• The messaging framework that clarifies what you do and why it matters
• Why sales success is built on process, consistency, and data, not personality
• How accountability and coaching help leaders make better decisions, faster

Learn More About Stacey:

Official Website: imnotmadatyou.com

Resources:   

Visit www.vitalstrategies.com to download FREE resources     

Listen to the podcast on your favorite app: https://link.chtbl.com/vitalstrategies    

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vital.strategies      

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VitalStrategiesPodcast     

Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklonergan/     

Credits:    

Sponsored by Vital Wealth    

Music by Cephas    

Art work by Two Tone Creative 

Audio, video, research and copywriting by Victoria O’Brien

What if the business you’ve spent years building is worth far less than you think and what if fixing that starts long before you ever plan to sell? In this episode of the Vital Wealth Podcast, host Patrick Lonergan sits down with serial entrepreneur and exit expert Justin Goodbread, who has started, scaled, and sold seven companies with 7-, 8-, and 9-figure valuations. Together, they unpack why most business owners unknowingly sabotage their future exit, how to build a company that runs without the owner, and the exact framework that transforms a stressful, owner-dependent business into a scalable, transferable, and highly valuable asset.

Patrick and Justin walk listeners through the “Deca Millionaire Way,” a five-pillar system rooted in clarity, measurement, thoughtful execution, and long-term freedom. Whether you’re years away from selling or simply want to build a business that gives you more time, more profitability, and more life, this conversation reveals what truly drives enterprise value and why only 4% of sellers walk away satisfied. For any entrepreneur who wants to maximize the payoff of their life’s work, this episode is a must-listen.

Key Takeaways:

• Why most entrepreneurs dramatically underestimate what it takes to create a valuable, sellable business
• The five F’s every owner must align before scaling or exiting
• The eight core business areas that drive valuation (and the 256 underlying metrics)
• How to get yourself out of the “center of the merry-go-round” so the business can run without you
• The 90-day execution framework that builds momentum and eliminates overwhelm
• Why exit planning must begin 5–10 years before selling
• The real definition of entrepreneurial freedom and why it requires becoming a Deca Millionaire

Learn More About Justin:

Official Website: https://www.justingoodbread.com/

Podcast: Deca Millionaire Decoded

Episode Resources:

• Main Street Millionaire by Cody Sanchez
• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Traction by Gino Wickman
• Scaling Up by Vern Harnish

Resources:   

Visit www.vitalstrategies.com to download FREE resources     

Listen to the podcast on your favorite app: https://link.chtbl.com/vitalstrategies    

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vital.strategies      

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VitalStrategiesPodcast     

Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklonergan/     

Credits:    

Sponsored by Vital Wealth    

Music by Cephas    

Art work by Two Tone Creative 

Audio, video, research and copywriting by Victoria O’Brien

What if your financial plan wasn’t just about money but about building a life of freedom, purpose, and peace of mind? In this episode of The Vital Wealth Podcast, host Patrick Lonergan sits down with Mike Milligan, founder of One Oak Financial and author of The One of a Kind Financial Plan. Together, they unpack how the financial industry often overcomplicates wealth management and how individuals can reclaim control through simplicity, education, and values-based decision-making. Mike shares his personal journey from the banking world to teaching financial literacy at Old Dominion University, offering listeners a refreshing perspective on what it means to design a financial plan that truly supports a life well-lived.

Listeners will learn how to avoid the traps of a profit-first system, rethink what “wealth” really means, and implement a plan that aligns with their deepest priorities. Patrick and Mike explore topics like financial education, the importance of discernment in money decisions, and why creating “profit with purpose” leads to greater happiness and impact. Whether you’re building your first plan or rethinking your strategy for long-term freedom, this conversation will change the way you view money forever.

Key Takeaways:

• The financial industry profits from complexity, true success comes from simplicity and understanding.
• “Profit with purpose” is more fulfilling and sustainable than profit alone.
• Tax planning is the most powerful lever for building long-term wealth.
• Financial literacy creates freedom and independence.
• Aligning money with values leads to clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.

Learn More About Mike:

Official Website: 1oakfinancial.com

Ideas by Mike: ideasbymike.com

The One of a Kind Financial Plan: mikemilligan.com

Resources:   

Visit www.vitalstrategies.com to download FREE resources     

Listen to the podcast on your favorite app: https://link.chtbl.com/vitalstrategies    

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vital.strategies      

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VitalStrategiesPodcast     

Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklonergan/     

Credits:    

Sponsored by Vital Wealth    

Music by Cephas    

Art work by Two Tone Creative 

Audio, video, research and copywriting by Victoria O’Brien

Is your business growing but somehow getting harder to manage? In this episode of the Vital Wealth Strategies Podcast, host Patrick Lonergan sits down with Courtney De Ronde, CEO of Forge Financial and Management Consulting, to unpack what it really takes to move from growth to true scale. Together they explore how entrepreneurs can evolve from being the do-it-all founder to a confident leader who builds systems, empowers teams, and creates a business that runs efficiently, without running them into burnout. 

Listeners will discover why scaling requires more than just working harder, how to make data-backed decisions, and the mindset shifts needed to build a company that thrives long-term. Packed with practical tools, leadership insight, and strategic frameworks, this conversation offers a roadmap for anyone ready to build structure, clarity, and sustainable profitability. 

Key Takeaways: 

• The difference between growth and scale and why most founders confuse the two 

• The two essential transformations every entrepreneur must make to scale successfully 

• How to use business intelligence and KPIs to lead with data, not instinct 

• The “Diagnose → Design → Drive” framework for continuous improvement 

• Why clarity in vision, mission, and values is the foundation of scalable leadership 

Learn More About Courtney: 

Ebook – The Simple Scale-Up System: forgeahead.com/ebook 

Scaling Assessment: assessments.forgeahead.com 

Forge Financial Website: forgeahead.com 

Episode Resources: 

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lencioni  
Deep Work – Cal Newport 

Essentialism – Greg McKeown 

The Four Tendencies– Gretchen Rubin 

Full Focus Planner – Michael Hyatt 

Resources:   

Visit www.vitalstrategies.com to download FREE resources     

Listen to the podcast on your favorite app: https://link.chtbl.com/vitalstrategies    

Follow on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vital.strategies      

Follow on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VitalStrategiesPodcast     

Follow on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricklonergan/     

Credits:    

Sponsored by Vital Wealth    

Music by Cephas    

Art work by Two Tone Creative 

Audio, video, research and copywriting by Victoria O’Brien