Bradley Hamner breaks down a powerful lesson from Michael Jordan's "The Last Dance" documentary about the fundamental difference between playing to win versus playing not to lose—and how this mindset shift can transform your business leadership.

Register Now! Lead Yourself First: February 24th - an Above The Business Workshop

FREE workshop for business owners who planned well but are running on fumes.

You set the goals in January. You aligned the team. You built the plan.

But six weeks in, you're exhausted.

Your best hours are going to fires. Decision fatigue is real. And your team senses it.

Here's the truth: Your business won't grow beyond you until you lead yourself first.

Join Bradley for a FREE 2-hour workshop on February 24th at 10 AM CST.

You'll build your Personal Operating System, Decision Framework, Energy Protection Plan, Role Clarity Matrix, and 90-Day Accountability Structure.

Space is limited. https://blueprintos.com/assets

Thanks to our sponsors...

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions. More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow. Here’s an exclusive offer for Above The Business listeners: Visit directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness for a FREE marketing campaign audit. They’ll assess your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provide actionable recommendations. Plus, when you choose to partner with them, they’ll waive all setup fees.

About Above The Business:

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect. Each week, Bradley shares frameworks, interviews successful entrepreneurs, and provides actionable insights for building businesses that run without you. Whether you're doing $300K or $3M in revenue, this show will help you get above your business and design the systems you need to scale.

"Does your behavior match your stated objectives? If you claim you want to scale the business but you have no framework or capacity building plan in place, there's a disconnect." - Chris Papin.

What if your business struggles aren't about working harder—but about whether your daily actions actually match what you say you want to achieve? In this conversation, Bradley sits down with Chris Papin, attorney and CPA, to explore the critical gap between stated objectives and actual behavior in business.

Chris shares his framework for thinking about business decisions through three lenses: personal, community, and client impact. He unpacks why most business owners don't truly understand their financials (and why that's costing them), the business judgment rule that separates smart decisions from lucky ones, and why Tom Brady's success on offense came from his defensive genius.

If you've ever felt out of alignment with your own goals or wondered why your numbers don't reflect your stated priorities, this episode will give you a fresh perspective on getting above your business.

What Working Above the Business Means to Chris:

"It's gonna shift during where I am in the life cycle of my business. But what it means to me is I go back to the original vision. I have kind of three components that are in my vision: There's a personal piece, there's a community piece, and then there's a client-side piece.

The personal piece is the internal me, my team, the objectives there. The community is elevating others. Obviously we want to take care of our clients. If I focus on those three pieces and really recognize what's at stake and work my business to achieving those objectives, I'm above the business doing the right things I need to do as a business owner to steer people to those objectives.

Fully knowing that I am also the licensed professional where I have to be in my business from time to time to do that too. I'm okay with that because that's what I signed up for, but that distinction matters because I do have to step out of my technician's role to get up into that entrepreneurial role."

This episode of Above the Business is for business owners who are ready to stop reacting and start leading with clarity, intention, and alignment between what they say they want and what they actually do.

Thanks to our sponsors...

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions. More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow. Here’s an exclusive offer for Above The Business listeners: Visit directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness for a FREE marketing campaign audit. They’ll...

Time to bring back a word you probably don't use enough in your business: quotas. In this solo episode, Bradley breaks down why setting specific, measurable, time-bound performance goals for your team isn't just a sales concept—it's a clarity tool that transforms how you coach, manage, and drive results across your entire organization.

"How did your sales team perform as a percent to quota in January? If they had to sell 50 widgets and they sold 55, they were over 100% to quota."

Setting defined timeframes and defined outcomes creates the foundation for effective coaching and accountability. When your team knows exactly what's expected, you can coach them toward specific targets instead of vague goals like "do more."

Visit BlueprintOS.com to learn about the 2026 Above The Business Workshops, our coaching programs, and resources designed specifically for small business owners who want to build systematic, scalable operations that don't require your constant presence.

Thanks to our sponsors...

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions. More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow. Here’s an exclusive offer for Above The Business listeners: Visit directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness for a FREE marketing campaign audit. They’ll assess your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provide actionable recommendations. Plus, when you choose to partner with them, they’ll waive all setup fees.

About Above The Business:

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect. Each week, Bradley shares frameworks, interviews successful entrepreneurs, and provides actionable insights for building businesses that run without you. Whether you're doing $300K or $3M in revenue, this show will help you get above your business and design the systems you need to scale.

"My best learning opportunities were the ones where I've ultimately failed or made huge mistakes. I basically got an MBA in acquisitions in that deal." - Cameron Bishop

What if you could see your business through the eyes of someone who's completed over 100 acquisitions? In this episode, Bradley sits down with investment banker Cameron Bishop to explore the mind of an acquirer and how thinking like an investor can transform your business—whether you're planning to sell tomorrow or a decade from now.

Cameron shares hard-won lessons from his journey from advertising copywriter to CEO of a $400 million company, and now as a managing director helping business owners navigate successful exits. You'll discover why the strategies that make a business attractive to buyers also make it a better business to own and operate.

Rain Catcher

• Website: raincatcher.com
• Email: cameron.bishop@raincatcher.com.
• Connect with Cameron on LinkedIn.
• Free consultations available (no cost, no obligation, no sales pitch).

Visit BlueprintOS.com to learn about the 2026 Above The Business Workshops, our coaching programs, and resources designed specifically for small business owners who want to build systematic, scalable operations that don't require your constant presence.

Thanks to our sponsors...

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions. More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow. Here’s an exclusive offer for Above The Business listeners: Visit directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness for a FREE marketing campaign audit. They’ll assess your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provide actionable recommendations. Plus, when you choose to partner with them, they’ll waive all setup fees.

About Above The Business:

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect. Each week, Bradley shares frameworks, interviews successful entrepreneurs, and provides actionable insights for building businesses that run without you. Whether you're doing $300K or $3M in revenue, this show will help you get above your business and design the systems you need to scale.

Are you tired of feeling like you're living the same business year over and over again? In this episode, Bradley Hamner tackles the frustration many business owners feel when December rolls around and they're going through the same annual planning motions—setting objectives, hosting kickoffs, and wondering if anything will really change this time.

Drawing inspiration from the classic movie Groundhog Day, Bradley explores the delicate balance between maintaining what works in your business while evolving to stay ahead of the curve. He challenges the common trap of either being an "arsonist" who burns down everything that's working or getting stuck in comfortable routines that no longer serve your growth.

Key Question: How do you gain 20 years of real experience instead of repeating the same year 20 times?

Visit BlueprintOS.com to learn about the 2026 Above The Business Workshops, our coaching programs, and resources designed specifically for small business owners who want to build systematic, scalable operations that don't require your constant presence.

Thanks to our sponsors...

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions. More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow. Here’s an exclusive offer for Above The Business listeners: Visit directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness for a FREE marketing campaign audit. They’ll assess your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provide actionable recommendations. Plus, when you choose to partner with them, they’ll waive all setup fees.

About Above The Business:

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect. Each week, Bradley shares frameworks, interviews successful entrepreneurs, and provides actionable insights for building businesses that run without you. Whether you're doing $300K or $3M in revenue, this show will help you get above your business and design the systems you need to scale.

What does it actually look like to build a business you can run for the long haul—without burning out? In this episode, Bradley sits down with Chris Ducker, leadership speaker, serial entrepreneur, and bestselling author of The Long-Haul Leader, Rise of the Youpreneur, and Virtual Freedom.

Chris shares his personal journey through two burnout experiences—including a 2021 diagnosis of phase three adrenal failure that forced him to completely rethink how he approached business and leadership. He reveals the lifestyle changes, mindset shifts, and practical strategies that helped him recover and build sustainable success.

This conversation digs into the difference between hustle as a season versus hustle as a lifestyle, why "busy" is a trap, and how to design your business around the life you want rather than the other way around.

Visit BlueprintOS.com to learn about the 2026 Above The Business Workshops, our coaching programs, and resources designed specifically for small business owners who want to build systematic, scalable operations that don't require your constant presence.

Thanks to our sponsors...

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions. More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow. Here’s an exclusive offer for Above The Business listeners: Visit directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness for a FREE marketing campaign audit. They’ll assess your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provide actionable recommendations. Plus, when you choose to partner with them, they’ll waive all setup fees.

About Above The Business:

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect. Each week, Bradley shares frameworks, interviews successful entrepreneurs, and provides actionable insights for building businesses that run without you. Whether you're doing $300K or $3M in revenue, this show will help you get above your business and design the systems you need to scale.

Have you seen what Curt Cignetti has done at Indiana? In just his second year, he's taken one of college football's historically worst programs to the number one ranking in the country. But here's what matters for business owners: he didn't figure it out alone.

In this episode, Bradley breaks down the Curt Cignetti story and the four critical lessons every business owner needs to understand about following a proven blueprint versus trying to figure everything out yourself.

Visit BlueprintOS.com to learn about the 2026 Above The Business Workshops, our coaching programs, and resources designed specifically for small business owners who want to build systematic, scalable operations that don't require your constant presence.

Thanks to our sponsors...

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions. More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow. Here’s an exclusive offer for Above The Business listeners: Visit directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness for a FREE marketing campaign audit. They’ll assess your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provide actionable recommendations. Plus, when you choose to partner with them, they’ll waive all setup fees.

About Above The Business:

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect. Each week, Bradley shares frameworks, interviews successful entrepreneurs, and provides actionable insights for building businesses that run without you. Whether you're doing $300K or $3M in revenue, this show will help you get above your business and design the systems you need to scale.

What if you treated your team with the same care and attention that Four Seasons gives its guests? In this episode, Bradley sits down with Melissa Fackler, small business coach at OneTeam Partners, to explore how hospitality principles can transform your company culture and customer experience.

Melissa spent a decade in the hospitality industry working in hotels, banquets, venues, and country music entertainment before transitioning to business coaching in 2021. She shares the specific tactics and mindset shifts that helped her create world-class guest experiences and how business owners can deploy those same strategies internally with their teams.

From eye contact and name recall to growth mindset coaching and behavioral assessments, this conversation gives you practical tools to make everyone in your business feel truly seen and valued.

Ready to create more margin in your business?

Visit BlueprintOS.com to learn about the 2026 Above The Business Workshops, our coaching programs, and resources designed specifically for small business owners who want to build systematic, scalable operations that don't require your constant presence.

Thanks to our sponsors...

Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Above The Business Podcast when you get in touch.

Autopilot Recruiting helps small business owners solve their staffing challenges by taking the stress out of hiring. Their dedicated recruiters work on your behalf every single business day - optimizing your applicant tracking system, posting job listings, and sourcing candidates through social media and local communities. With their continuous, hands-off recruiting approach, you can save time, reduce hiring costs, and receive pre-screened candidates, all without paying any hiring fees or commissions. More money & more freedom: that’s what Autopilot Recruiting help business owners achieve. Visit https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com/ and don't forget to mention you heard about us on the Above The Business podcast.

Direct Clicks is built is by business owners, for business owners. They specialize in custom marketing solutions that deliver real results. From paid search campaigns to SEO and social media management, they provide the comprehensive digital marketing your business needs to grow. Here’s an exclusive offer for Above The Business listeners: Visit directclicksinc.com/abovethebusiness for a FREE marketing campaign audit. They’ll assess your website, social media, SEO, content, and paid advertising, then provide actionable recommendations. Plus, when you choose to partner with them, they’ll waive all setup fees.

About Above The Business:

Above The Business is hosted by Bradley Hamner, founder of BlueprintOS, and focuses on helping small business owners transition from Rainmaker to Architect. Each week, Bradley shares frameworks, interviews successful entrepreneurs, and provides actionable insights for building businesses that run without you. Whether you're doing $300K or $3M in revenue, this show will help you get above your business and design the systems you need to scale.