Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nick Berry. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Nick, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
If you expect to be successful at something, there are three ingredients that you have to bring: purpose, strategy, and agency.
– Purpose is about knowing what truly matters to you and why you’re doing what you do. It’s not just about having goals. It’s about having clarity around your purpose so you don’t waste time chasing things that don’t align with it.
Purpose is your North Star.
– Strategy is how you turn your purpose into action. If Purpose is your North Star, then strategy is your GPS system. Strategy creates alignment between your decisions, your actions, and the team around you so everything works toward a shared goal.
– Agency is the vehicle that takes you to your destination. It’s the belief and mindset that you have the power to create your outcomes. It pushes you to keep asking, “What can I do next to move closer to the goal?” Someone with a high sense of agency takes full ownership, no matter the circumstances, and focuses on what they can control.
Resilience is a major piece of agency. Resilience is what helps you adapt, recover, and keep moving forward when things don’t go as planned. (And that’s the way of life on a business owner’s journey.)
In 2010 we had begun building out a portfolio of companies. Three of them were running and growing pretty well. On the surface it looked as if it was working perfectly. But I was picking up subtle signs that we were about to hit a ceiling. Signs that really no one else was in a position to see other than me. Missed opportunities to collaborate and cross-promote between businesses, or duplicate resources where a shared resource made sense.
The simplest way to describe the problem is that these companies didn’t know how to be a team.
The problem wasn’t with the companies themselves. Each one was led by operators who were creators by nature. Individually, they had a sense of purpose, strategy, and agency.
But our portfolio hadn’t started with a strategy. It was more of a series of opportunities we saw and pursued. It wasn’t being built around an overarching purpose or portfolio strategy that would align and create synergy among the companies.
Up until that point I may have been the agency binding it together and willing us forward. But I knew that wasn’t sustainable. There was no way to “will” us much further than where we were.
I had to step back, rethink, and get some clarity for myself, and then for the portfolio as a whole. From that came the shared vision that would align all of the companies. From there, the strategy and agency came together a bit easier and immediately you could see the purpose being turned into (aligned) action.
That lesson helped us grow the portfolio to eight operating brands, make the Inc. 5000 multiple times, and achieve several industry awards along the way.
Nick, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m an entrepreneur, CEO, and business advisor. In 2+ decades I’ve founded or acquired several dozen businesses and advised many more. My companies have been recognized multiple times for growth, client satisfaction, and culture. I’ve had a few businesses that floundered, and have had multiple successful exits.
Traveling that path helped me realize that what I really love is being a force multiplier, solving challenges and unlocking the potential of a great idea or product or person. I’m particularly motivated by sharing what I’ve learned with other entrepreneurs because I learned so many things the hard way, and I can help save someone else so many of those mistakes, time, and money lost along the way.
I also host The Business Owner’s Journey podcast, where I share insights and lessons from my experiences and interview guests with valuable wisdom for business owners.
I started building businesses with creators in 2007, long before the creator economy was a thing. My business partner and I worked with talented subject matter experts who had valuable products or services but couldn’t get the traction they should have been getting with them. They needed to focus on their unique abilities, and my role was building the machine that made everything work. Together, we created businesses that took off quickly, and I earned a reputation as “the business guy.”
Other founders, creators, and solopreneurs began approaching with killer ideas and unique skillsets but needed help either turning them into “real” businesses or getting them over the hump and to their potential. Those partnerships led to some incredible outcomes, among them:
– The fastest-growing franchise of its kind in the world
– The largest certification program in its category
– A content and equipment business that served both B2B and consumer markets
– A PPC agency that was operated part-time and later sold for a multi-six-figure exit
– And many others.
I’m fortunate in that what I love doing is also where my skills are most valuable: working with creators and business owners to transform ideas into scalable, best-in-class businesses. At times I’ve done that as an “Integrator for hire”, other times as an advisor and strategist. Every time the purpose is the same: I use my experience and knowledge to help business owners scale faster and more effectively.
The Problems I Solve For Small Businesses:
My clients would tell you that the problem I solve is helping them scale their business. They want to work less in the business and more on the business. They know their product or service is special, but they don’t know how to take it to the next level.
I see that as more of the outcome. I actually see what I do as helping them solve 3 problems which are keeping them from reaching that outcome:
– They are overwhelmed by the demands of running the business. They’re stuck in the day-to-day operations and don’t know how to transition from operator to leader.
– They lack a clear strategy for growth. They know their product or service is special but don’t have a plan to expand or compete effectively.
– They don’t have the right tools or guidance. They don’t know what they don’t know, and trying to figure it out alone feels slow, expensive, and risky.
I give them an operating system and strategic guidance to create sustainable growth. At the same time, I’m coaching them to become confident, capable leaders who can lead that growth for their company.
This process transforms the owner and the business. It transforms how the owner approaches leadership, strategy, and growth, and transforms the business from transactional to scalable.
What I’m Most Proud Of:
I’m proud of the reputation I’ve built as someone with strong values, who you can trust, and who is not afraid to make tough decisions. My partners, clients, and team members know that I keep their best interests in mind, even when the decisions aren’t easy.
I’m also very proud of the testimonials I’ve received, which reflect that reputation. They go beyond business success, they’re about values, trust, and impact on lives. The people I work with know that I’m imperfect, authentic, and accountable. I’m open about my mistakes because I see them as opportunities for my clients and team to learn along with me.
I’m incredibly proud that my companies have been recognized for growth, client satisfaction, and company culture – simultaneously and multiple times. We were able to excel in all three areas at a high level, proving that you don’t have to sacrifice one to achieve the others. It’s rare for a company to prioritize all three, much less succeed in them, but we made it happen. That recognition reflects the intention and effort we put into building businesses that serve clients, staff, and the bottom line simultaneously.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Two of the most impactful decisions I’ve made in my career were hiring a business coach and joining a peer advisory group. Both experiences completely changed how I approach leadership and growth.
Having a one-on-one coach gave me an outside perspective and someone who wasn’t afraid to tell me the truth, even when it was uncomfortable. They helped me think about my business, my role in it, and what I aspired for that role to look like, in ways I never had before. That clarity and accountability made me a better leader and allowed me to tackle challenges with more confidence and focus.
At the same time, joining a peer advisory group (Vistage) provided a different kind of support: a small, trusted group of peers who got to know me, my situation and goals, and were familiar with the challenges I was going through. They challenged my thinking, shared insights from their own journeys, and helped me see blind spots I wouldn’t have uncovered on my own.
Those experiences shaped my philosophy around the importance of having a strong support system as a business owner. I believe every entrepreneur needs three pillars: individualized guidance, a larger network community of peers, and an intimate peer advisory group. The combination of those three provides the scaffolding you need to become the best version of yourself as a business owner and leader.
Can you talk to us about your experience with selling businesses?
I’ve sold multiple businesses over the years, including one recently, just before launching The Business Owner’s Journey podcast.
The most recent sale was of a B2B service business. It was particularly attractive to buyers because of how well it ran without me. It had an operating system and leadership in place so it didn’t rely on my daily involvement. The buyer specifically came to me looking for a turnkey business.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that you’re selling an asset, so you need to build it as such. You need to approach building your business with an eventual exit in mind. Buyers are looking for stability, predictable cash flow, and growth potential. They most likely don’t want to buy a job, they want to buy a machine that works.
Another key lesson is to start preparing for a sale long before you’re ready to sell. Clean financials, documented systems, protected intellectual property, and customer records make a world of difference when it’s time to sell. Even if you’re years away from selling, operating as if you’ll sell someday forces you to build a healthier, more resilient business. That’s something I focused on early, and it paid off far more than I ever expected.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nickberry.info/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickberry4
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nickberry1
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickberry4/
- Twitter: https://x.com/nickberry
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nickberry4
- Other: The Business Owner’s Journey Podcast: https://www.nickberry.info/content/nick-berry-podcast/about-business-owners-journey-podcast
