Humans of Growth: Stories & Strategies Behind Business Growth & Business Development

The Communication Crisis Killing Local Businesses

The biggest threat to home service businesses in 2026 isn’t competition. It’s communication.
Consumers have evolved. Technology has evolved. But most service-based businesses are stuck in outdated communication patterns that are silently killing revenue, trust, and customer retention.
In this episode of Humans of Growth, Aly Hathcock sits down with Lucas Wilson — CEO of Signpost, a customer communication platform serving thousands of contractors, trades, and home service professionals. Together, they unpack the widening gap between what business owners think customers want… and what customers are actually demanding in a world of AI, instant expectations, and omnichannel communication.
If you’re a marketing leader, home services operator, SMB owner, or anyone navigating the shift to AI-powered customer experience, this episode will hit you straight in the strategy.
In this episode, we unpack…• Why speed-to-lead is now the #1 growth lever in home services• How shifting consumer expectations are reshaping customer communication• The silent revenue leak caused by missed calls, slow responses, and outdated systems• Where AI belongs in the customer journey—and where humans must stay involved• How to build trust in industries battling poor reputation and high demand• Why staying top-of-mind with past customers is more valuable than chasing new leads
The future of growth isn’t just marketing. It’s customer communication and retention.______________________RESOURCES:Get help finding the right marketing partner.Learn more about Signpost.Get connected to Lucas here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukewilsonsignpostceo/

How to Build, Scale, and Exit a Business That Outlives You

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Jeff Parnell, founder and CEO of JHP Advisors, to talk about what it really takes to build a business that lasts — and to eventually step away from it.
Jeff’s career spans from pioneering one of the internet’s first e-commerce businesses in the 1990s to guiding today’s CEOs through growth, succession, and exit planning. After surviving a heart transplant in 2018, Jeff brings a rare blend of hard-won business wisdom and deep life perspective to the conversation.
Together, Aly and Jeff explore:
✔ How to scale your company by making yourself replaceable
✔ Why most entrepreneurs fail to plan their exit — and how it costs them millions
✔ The coming “silver tsunami” of aging business owners and what it means for small business
✔ How consolidation and private equity are reshaping local industries
✔ The difference between owning a business and being in the business
✔ Why patience, gratitude, and in-person connection still drive long-term growth
This isn’t just a story about business strategy — it’s a masterclass in leadership, legacy, and what it means to build something worth handing off.______________________RESOURCES:Get help finding the right marketing partner.Learn more about JHP Advisors.

The Future of Learning, Leadership, and Growth in an AI World

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock talks with serial founder and futurist Alan Smithson, creator of Unlimited Awesome - a new kind of education platform that uses AI and gamification to teach life and business skills.
Alan shares his journey from inventing touchscreen DJ technology and launching one of the world’s first metaverse companies to building next-generation learning systems. Along the way, he breaks down how emerging tech like AI, VR, and XR are transforming not just education, but marketing, training, and global business growth.
You’ll hear:
✔ How VR and 3D tech revolutionized brand experiences for companies like Samsung, Siemens, and Mastercard
✔ Why AI-driven automation and 3D generation mark the next leap for marketing and retail
✔ The philosophy behind creating tools that empower- not replace- human creativity
✔ How consistency, creation, and curiosity outperform any algorithm or SEO trick
✔ Why business leaders need to think critically about data, decentralization, and digital ethics
This episode dives deep into the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and human potential - and what it really means to grow a business in the age of AI.______________________RESOURCES:
Get help finding the right marketing partner.Learn more about Unlimited Awesome.
 

When Reddit & Quora Become Your Growth Team

In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Sam Miller, CEO and co-founder of Kasheesh, a fintech app that lets users split purchases across multiple credit, debit, and gift cards.What started with a real-life pain point and a single Reddit thread has grown into a seamless digital solution reshaping how Americans manage liquidity. But it didn’t come easy. From navigating skeptical investors and battling financial institutions to building SOC 2–compliant infrastructure and earning organic user trust, Sam shares how Kasheesh scaled... without spending a dime on ads.You’ll learn:✔ Why Kasheesh grew fast with zero paid marketing✔ How Reddit and Quora fueled product-led growth✔ What VCs and banks misunderstood about their customer base✔ How SmartSplit (AI) helps users protect their credit score✔ The role of internal culture, hiring, and sprint cycles in fast-moving product innovation✔ Why financial literacy is core to Kasheesh growth strategyWhether you're building a fintech product or trying to scale without performance marketing, this episode is a masterclass in customer-centric growth, scrappy GTM, and building trust through product.
______________________RESOURCES:Get help finding the right marketing partner.Learn more about Kasheesh here.

Fintech Without Borders: The Startup Making Lending Truly Global

What if launching a lending business was as easy as launching an online store?In this episode of Humans of Growth, we sit down with Deji, CEO of Lendsqr, to explore how his platform is making it possible to build scalable lending businesses... without coding, massive overhead, or big-bank bureaucracy. From funding underserved communities to streamlining compliance in 190+ countries, Lendsqr is reimagining what’s possible in the credit space.You’ll learn:
Why “Shopify for lending” isn’t just a metaphor—it’s a movement
What most founders get wrong when launching loan products
How to scale into 190+ countries without physical infrastructure
How SEO, programmatic content, and ChatGPT are fueling their growth
The mistakes Deji wouldn’t avoid if he could start over
How to combine values, vision, and smart systems to build globally
This episode is a must-listen for SaaS founders, fintech operators, or anyone obsessed with scalable systems and underserved markets.______________________
RESOURCES:Get help finding the right marketing partner.Get help acquiring business funding.

How Systems Scaled Mid South Home Buyers

What happens when you build a business so good… you don’t need to market it?
In this episode of Humans of Growth, we sit down with Terry Kerr and Liz Nowlin to unpack how Mid South Home Buyers became one of the most trusted turnkey real estate companies in the country—without relying on traditional marketing channels.
We explore how they grew from managing their first few properties to thousands under management, using trust, referrals, and operational excellence to create a growth flywheel that runs on reputation.
What we cover:
How a Memphis-based operation became a go-to for passive real estate investors
The systems that turn first-time buyers into repeat investors
Why education and transparency outperform traditional sales
The power of investing in people—for both residents and clients
How Liz and Terry approach brand trust, lead nurturing, and high-stakes financial decisions
What most turnkey real estate firms get wrong about long-term growth
This episode is a masterclass in scaling through integrity, clarity, and consistency—without dumping dollars into paid ads.______________________RESOURCES:Get help finding the right marketing partner.Get help acquiring business funding.

The Funding Playbook Every Founder Should Know

If you’ve ever Googled “business loan” and ended up confused or denied—this episode is for you.
We sit down with Ray Smith, CEO of Trycera, to unpack why most founders are denied funding (and don’t know why), how to build real business credit that doesn’t touch your personal score, and what lenders are actually looking for in 2025.
You’ll learn:
Why most business loan applications fail—and how to fix it
How to build business credit tied to your EIN, not your SSN
What lenders check before you even apply (and how to prep for it)
Why founders need a “dream team” more than a better pitch deck
How to get fast wins and long-term capital through smart planning
The one thing every SaaS startup should do before hiring developers
Whether you’re a startup, service business, or brick-and-mortar founder, this episode will give you the tools (and roadmap) to unlock funding without the fear, fluff, or frustration.______________________RESOURCES:Get help finding the right marketing partner.
Get help acquiring business funding.

Systems Over Stress: Building a Business That Runs Itself

Smart companies are scaling faster than ever through AI with leaner teams and better margins.
In this episode of Humans of Growth, we unpack how automation, AI, and strategic operations are transforming growth for service-based businesses. From financial advisory firms to fast-moving startups, we explore how leaders are using systems—not headcount—to unlock scale.
You’ll learn:
How to identify automation opportunities that actually save money
Why AI fails without human-first systems
The right time to invest in operations vs. marketing
How to turn messy data into growth fuel
What most founders get wrong about “scaling”
Why reverse mentorship is the future of leadership
The companies winning right now aren’t the ones working harder—they’re the ones working smarter.
This conversation will help you future‑proof your business, your systems, and your team for the next era of intelligent growth.
 
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RESOURCES:
Need help finding a marketing agency to scale your business? Check out PerissonNetwork.com
 
Learn more about INVST at invst.com
 

Marketing Without Guilt: How Pando Is Rewriting the Nonprofit Playbook

Most nonprofits market through guilt-ridden storytelling.Pando markets through joy—and it's driving real results.
In this episode of Humans of Growth, host Aly Hathcock sits down with Daniel Morford, Senior Director of Marketing and Events at The Pando Initiative, to explore how one education nonprofit rebranded itself, rebuilt trust with donors, and scaled into 40+ schools—without relying on trauma stories or outdated fundraising tactics.
Inside the episode:
How Pando crafted a feel-good brand in a pain-driven sector
The marketing ops system behind collecting 60+ success stories every quarter
Why “initiative” beats “program” in donor messaging
The events-as-content playbook fueling brand awareness and donor retention
How red carpet experiences and food fests became emotional engagement machines
The role of local partnerships over national grant-chasing
Why authenticity and student voice are Pando’s most powerful growth levers
Daniel doesn’t just talk theory—he’s in the trenches building marketing systems that scale. This episode is for anyone building a brand with limited resources, big vision, and a mission worth celebrating.
 
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RESOURCES:
Learn more about the work the Pando Initiative does at Pandokids.org.
Get connected to Daniel here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-morford-187a45137/
Need help finding a marketing agency to scale your business? Check out PerissonNetwork.com
 

Moving the Needle as a Solo Marketer

What happens when a former burnout entrepreneur, bankruptcy survivor, and accidental TikTok influencer becomes the only marketer at a fast-growing financial services company?
In this episode of Humans of Growth, Whitney Catalano, Marketing Manager at Financial Gym, shares how she turned personal financial failure into a marketing superpower—and how she’s rebuilding the growth engine of a beloved but outdated brand.
We talk about:
Why consumer trust is the real growth strategy in financial services
How storytelling and vulnerability fuel brand loyalty (even in money markets)
Why webinars are dead (and how to replace them with high-converting funnels)
The unexpected TikTok content that made her a "bankruptcy influencer"
The shift from hustle culture to operational marketing (and why KPIs saved her)
Why partnerships, referrals, and Google Ads are outperforming social media
What small teams must do to actually scale marketing without burning out
Whether you’re a solo marketer at a startup, a brand leader rethinking your funnel, or a founder navigating content strategy in the chaos of modern platforms—this episode is packed with lessons on growth, trust, and sustainable marketing.
 
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RESOURCES:Learn more about Financial Gym.Get marketing help now.