builders podcast

“To start, can you tell the audience about your company's mission and what you do?”

This is his standard opening question to ground the listener in the guest's current work.

“Can you take us back to the beginning and the origin of your first brand?”

After establishing the present, Busby rewinds to the founding story to trace the company's evolution.

“Before it took off, were there moments you worried it wouldn't work?”

He asks this to explore the founder's early mindset and the challenges faced before success was certain.

“How do you balance the tension between rapid growth and long-term sustainability?”

He asks this to surface the philosophical debates and trade-offs leaders face during scaling.

“Where are you focusing your own personal growth to keep up with the company's scale?”

This is a frequent closing question that connects the company's growth to the leader's personal development.

“What did you see in the market that was innovative or that others were missing?”

This question probes the specific insight or unique angle that gave the business its initial edge.

“What was the impetus for a key strategic pivot, like franchising or a major acquisition?”

Busby uses this to understand the decision-making behind major, company-altering moves.

“How do you think about marketing now versus when you started?”

This question is used to track the evolution of the company's brand-building and customer acquisition strategy.

“For a leader who wants to improve their system for their people, where's the best place to start?”

This question seeks to extract actionable advice for other leaders listening to the show.

“Looking forward, what trends are you seeing and how is your company adapting?”

He uses this to get the guest's perspective on the future of their industry.