Real Talk: Leading Small Teams podcast

225 episodes

223: What should I be paying people to attract top talent?
03/03/2026 | 14 mins.
You find the perfect senior hire. They have the résumé. The experience. The track record.
But the salary makes your stomach drop.
Do you stretch and hope it pays off? Or walk away and risk staying stuck?
In this episode, we unpack the real tension leaders face when hiring senior talent in a small business and how to think about compensation without blowing up your risk tolerance.
We talk about:
Why overextending on a big hire can create pressure that sabotages onboarding
How to think beyond base salary and use ownership, scope, equity, and incentives strategically
What to consider when deciding your true risk tolerance as a leader
Why no hiring process can guarantee success and how to de-risk smartly instead
If you are wrestling with whether you can afford that senior hire or afraid you cannot grow without them, this episode will help you make the decision from clarity instead of fear.
💻 Grab the Snippets template: liagarvin.com/snippets
Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.
I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.
Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at [email protected]
222: What investing in your team could cost you OR earn you
24/02/2026 | 13 mins.
What’s the cost of waiting too long to address a problem on your team?
In this episode, we’re breaking down the key actions that separate leadership disasters from record-breaking success.
You'll learn:
How waiting too long to address team challenges can lead to massive losses
The $250,000 mistake from one of my clients and the turnaround that followed
The positive impact of setting clear expectations and implementing systems early on
How proactive leadership resulted in a $1M revenue quarter for another client
The importance of making feedback actionable and giving your team the support they need
This episode is full of insights on avoiding leadership pitfalls and practical steps to help your team thrive before problems spiral out of control.
💻 Grab the Snippets template: liagarvin.com/snippets
Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.
I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.
Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at [email protected]
221: I want to hand off work to my team, but the clients want ME, what do I do?
17/02/2026 | 16 mins.
You built a reputation for being the best. So why does it feel like your success is the very thing keeping you stuck?
If clients keep asking for you by name and you cannot seem to step out of the weeds without everything pulling you back in, this episode will show you how to scale without losing trust, quality, or revenue.
In this episode of Real Talk: Leading Small Teams, you’ll learn:
Why believing your “magic” cannot be taught is keeping you small
How to translate your secret sauce into real training your team can actually use
The messaging shift that gets clients excited about working with your team
Why holding onto control is blocking ownership and accountability
What to expect in the first 6 to 12 months as you level someone up to your standard
If you are tired of constantly being pulled back into client work or secretly worried no one can do it like you can, this episode will help you build a team that truly carries the weight with you.
💻 Grab the Snippets template: https://liagarvin.com/snippets
Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.
I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.
Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at [email protected]
219: Did I make a bad hire? How do I know? What do I do?
10/02/2026 | 14 mins.
Hiring is exhausting, and nothing messes with your confidence faster than wondering, “Did I just make a really expensive mistake?”
In this episode, we take a clear-eyed, practical look at how to assess a new hire without panic, resentment, or dragging things out way too long. Plus we’ll talk about what to do when the answer isn’t obvious.
In this episode of Real Talk: Leading Small Teams, you’ll learn:
Why deciding someone “isn’t a fit” too fast or too late creates bigger problems
The role onboarding and missing expectations plays in hiring
The 30–60–90 day check-in framework that removes guesswork
Why most performance issues come down to feedback that was never given
The red flags that aren’t coachable and how to address them compassionately
If you’ve ever felt stuck between “I should give this more time” and “I should’ve acted months ago,” this episode will help you make the call with clarity and confidence.
💻 Grab the Snippets template: https://liagarvin.com/snippets
Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.
I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.
Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at [email protected]
218: How to get out of the friend-zone with your team members?
10/02/2026 | 14 mins.
You didn’t mean to become the “cool boss.”
But now feedback feels awkward, boundaries are blurry and accountability keeps slipping.
In this episode of Real Talk: Leading Small Teams, we break down what to do when you’ve been friend-zoned by your team, and how to reset the dynamic without becoming cold or rigid.
In this episode, we cover:
The subtle signs you’ve crossed from friendly leader into the friend zone
Why feedback resistance is often a relationship problem, not a performance one
How to reset expectations and redefine your leadership style without blindsiding your team
The boundaries that actually increase trust and accountability
The three-step reset that gets you out of the friend zone for good
If hard conversations keep getting delayed and leadership feels heavier than it should, this episode will help you course-correct fast.
💻 Grab the Snippets template: https://liagarvin.com/snippets
Looking for support for yourself of your team? I've got you covered.
Explore manager training, leaders keynotes & offsites, and 1:1 advisory, or my 90-Day-COO program for business owners who want simple systems that actually work.
I help teams build clarity, accountability, and momentum through practical tools and research-backed strategies that make managing easier.
Get all the details at: www.liagarvin.com
or reach out at [email protected]

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About Real Talk: Leading Small Teams

Real Talk: Leading Small Teams is a weekly leadership and management podcast for founders, entrepreneurs, business owners, and people managers who want to lead high-performing teams without falling back into the work themselves.Each week, host Lia Garvin- Fractional COO & leadership strategist, TEDx speaker, and 3x bestselling author- breaks down the real, everyday challenges of leading teams, people management, team accountability, delegation, communication, culture, and performance with practical strategies you can implement immediately. Lia’s work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, and Fortune.With Lia, there’s no beating around the bush. No corporate jargon. Just actionable leadership insights that help you build your people management and leadership skills and get better results from your team.If you’re asking leadership questions like:• How do I get my team to take ownership and accountability for their work?• Why do I have to repeat myself constantly as a manager?• How do I know if I hired the wrong employee?• How do I delegate effectively without things falling apart or micromanaging?• How can managers tell if team members are overusing AI at work?• What actually motivates employees today?• How do I give feedback that actually moves the needly?• How do I communicate vision, expectations, and strategy clearly?• What are best practices for performance reviews, compensation, and growth conversations?How do you lead a team through change, uncertainty, and rapid growth with confidence?You’ll find the tools, frameworks, and leadership strategies you need to lead your team better, starting today.Real Talk: Leading Small Teams is for:✔ Founders & Business Owners scaling teams without burning people out✔ Entrepreneurs balancing business strategy and people leadership✔ Experienced leaders ready to modernize how they manage teams✔ Corporate managers navigating continual changeNew episodes drop every Tuesday, delivering leadership lessons, people management tools, and team-building strategies you can apply immediately.Learn more at liagarvin.com

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