What if the secret to scaling your business isn't working harder — but hiring smarter? In this episode of the Grown Up Business Podcast, Paul Avins sits down with Graham Brown — former military medic turned recruitment expert with over 24 years of experience, author of the upcoming book Too Many Hats, and one of Team Purple's specialist coaches in team dynamics and executive search. Graham shares his remarkable journey from serving in the Gulf War as a trumpet-playing medic to building a 39-office recruitment franchise, surviving a painful business collapse, and emerging as one of the UK's leading experts in helping CEOs find their perfect second-in-command. Together, Paul and Graham unpack the brutal truth about why most CEOs fail at hiring, the three pillars of successful recruitment that most founders ignore, and why 50% employee engagement is costing your business hundreds of thousands in lost productivity. They dive deep into the seven types of COO, the difference between competency-based and traditional interviewing, and why understanding energy profiles is the unlock to building high-performing teams that scale. If you're a CEO drowning in operational work, struggling to find the right leadership team, or wondering how to hire someone who can actually take weight off your shoulders instead of adding to it, this conversation is essential listening. Key Takeaways From Gulf War medic to recruitment expert: How Graham's military background shaped his approach to building resilient, high-performing teams The brutal reality of franchising: Why Graham scaled to 39 offices before deciding to shut it down and start again The three pillars of successful hiring: Skills & ability, natural energy alignment, and culture & values fit — miss one and you've got a problem Why most CEOs aren't ready for an A-player — and how to know when you actually are The seven types of COO: Executor, Change Agent, Other Half, Mentor, Heir Apparent, MVP, and Partner — and how to choose the right one for your stage of growth Competency-based interviewing vs traditional interviewing: How to dig deeper and test for what really matters The 50% flow problem: Why half your team is operating at half capacity — and how that's costing you £600K+ per year in lost productivity Why talent acquisition should be treated like customer acquisition — with the same level of strategy, marketing, and investment The TEAM framework: Trust & Transparency, Empower & Energize, Alignment & Accountability, Measurement & Metrics, Safety & Security How to know if you need a COO, Chief of Staff, Operations Manager, or EA — and why hiring the wrong role at the wrong time can be a disaster About Graham Brown Graham Brown is a former military musician and medic who served in the Gulf War before transitioning into recruitment over 24 years ago. He founded the first ex-military recruitment agency in the UK in 2001 and has since helped over 10,000 service men and women transition into civilian careers. Graham built and scaled a recruitment franchise to 39 offices before navigating a painful business restructure that taught him invaluable lessons about resilience, team dynamics, and the importance of hiring right. He's now a specialist executive search consultant focusing on helping scale-up CEOs find their perfect COO or second-in-command. As one of Team Purple's expert coaches, Graham specializes in team dynamics, profiling, and leadership development. He's the author of the upcoming book Too Many Hats, which unpacks everything he's learned about helping CEOs escape operational overwhelm by building the right leadership team around them. Resources & Links Get free team dynamics resources → teamdynamics.com Download Graham's free e-books on recruitment, interviewing, and onboarding → teamdynamics.com Connect with Graham Brown on LinkedIn → Graham Brown | LinkedIn Follow Paul Avins for Scale Up insights → Paul Avins | LinkedIn Read Second in Command by Cameron Herold → Available on Amazon Next Steps Action Now: Write down the 3 actions from this episode you'll apply in your business over the next 72 hours. Think Bigger: Ready to stop wearing too many hats and build the leadership team that sets you free? Download Graham's free hiring guides at teamdynamics.com Scale Up: Get actionable tips from Paul in your inbox every Saturday, Subscribe to Scale Up Saturday Newsletter Level Up: Book a Call with Paul and Get ready to level up your business and transform your life!
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