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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