Building People, Building Profit: Lessons in Systemized Success with Brian Gottlieb

Brian Gottlieb

Brian Gottlieb is a bestselling author, speaker, and inspirational business leader who founded Sunderland Home Improvements in 2009 with only $3,000 and a plastic folding table. Over 12 years, he grew it into a diversified family of companies with 600 employees and nearly $1 billion in cumulative sales. Known for his commitment to building people first, Brian combines strategic discipline, operational systems, and a strong culture to drive both profit and purpose.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

[03:12] Why chaos can produce revenue but only discipline — backed by documented processes — produces profit
[07:06] How setting aside a fixed percentage for marketing safeguards lead generation in any market condition
[08:31] Starting with core business disciplines before documenting systems and processes
[11:00] Why simplicity scales and complexity drains execution
[15:21] Teaching teams to forecast accurately so you can confidently invest in growth
[23:04] How culture is shaped by the lowest level of acceptable behavior — and why leaders must be its gardeners

In this episode:

From a single folding table to nearly $1 billion in sales, Brian Gottlieb’s journey is proof that disciplined systems and empowered people can scale any business. In this lively conversation, Adi Klevit digs into the lessons Brian learned building and selling his home improvement empire — and how his principles apply to leaders in every industry.

Brian shares why he believes chaos might create short-term revenue, but discipline, documentation, and process consistency are what produce sustainable profit. He explains the importance of identifying core business disciplines first — such as “the lead is sacred” — and then building processes to uphold them. He also reveals why simplicity should be a leader’s ultimate goal and how to continuously inspect systems as a company grows.

The discussion goes beyond operations into leadership and culture. Brian outlines how to forecast with accuracy, why each department should run like its own business, and how to shape a culture that raises the performance bar. From community impact programs to managing rapid growth, his insights are a masterclass in blending profitability with purpose.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Quotable Moments:

“Chaos produces revenue, but discipline produces profit — and discipline comes from documentation.”
“The lead is sacred. Once you understand that, you can design the systems to honor it.”
“Simplicity scales. Complexity is the enemy of execution.”
“For a business to grow, the people inside it must first reach their potential.”
“Culture is shaped by the lowest level of acceptable behavior.”
“A leader doesn’t get to have a bad day in front of their team.”

Action Steps:

Identify the core disciplines of your business before documenting processes.
Set aside a fixed percentage of every sale for marketing to ensure consistent lead flow.
Assign daily KPIs for each role and link them to performance-based compensation.
Treat each department as its own business, teaching leaders to forecast and hit targets.
Continuously review and simplify processes to remove complexity.
Actively shape your culture by addressing the lowest acceptable behaviors.

Sponsor for this episode:

This episode is brought to you by Business Success Consulting Group.

At Business Success Consulting Group, we create custom processes and tailor-made management systems so businesses can thrive.

Businesses simply can’t survive without workable systems and well-documented processes. That’s why our team of experienced professionals takes care of it for you.

We provide business owners, entrepreneurs, and key executives with six phases to success, along with the long-lasting systems necessary to support business expansion.

So, what are you waiting for? Do yourself a favor and cut the chaos out of your business.

Visit bizsuccesscg.com today or email info@bizsuccesscg.com to schedule a free consultation.