How Kurt Schmidt Avoided the Trap of Low Margins in His Service-Based Business

In this episode of How to Scale a Business, host Hector Santiesteban is joined by Kurt Schmidt, an agency business coach, Inc. 5000 leader, and former extreme sports pro. Together, they dive deep into the highs and lows of growing a service-based business. From the profitable "sweet spot" of 6–12 employees to the leadership transitions that trip up creatives-turned-CEOs, Kurt shares real talk and real strategies for scaling sustainably. If you're running an agency, creative studio, or service-driven company — this is an episode you can't afford to miss.

Chapters:

• 00:00:00 – Meet Kurt Schmidt: From Extreme Sports to Agency Leadership
• 00:00:24 – Why Most Agencies Feel Like a High-Stakes Balancing Act
• 00:02:36 – The Real Growth Curve: What Happens at 6, 12, and 30 People
• 00:05:40 – From Doer to Leader: Making the Shift Without Losing Yourself
• 00:09:08 – Delegation or Die: Why Letting Go Is the Key to Scale
• 00:12:40 – What to Focus On (When Everything Feels Important)
• 00:15:04 – Survive or Thrive: Reading the Market and Staying Ahead
• 00:22:30 – AI, Automation & Staying Lean Without Losing Your Edge
• 00:26:01 – Final Thoughts & Where to Find Kurt Online

Links And Resources:

• Website
• Kurt on LinkedIn
• Amplafy Media
• Hector Santiesteban on LinkedIn
• Hector Santiesteban on Twitter

Thanks so much for joining us this week. Want to subscribe to How to Scale a Business? Have some feedback you’d like to share? Connect with us on iTunes and leave us a review!