Most people don’t leave a stable engineering job and build a $2.5M company in two years, but Karl Hughes isn’t most people. In this episode of Unfinished Business, David Sliman gets into the real behind-the-scenes of growing Draft.dev, building a business portfolio, and scaling without losing your mind (or your weekends).

Karl shares how he went from software engineer to founder, built a remote-first content agency serving high-growth developer tools companies, and is now acquiring service businesses with smart systems and serious clarity. If you're tired of hustle advice that skips the process, this episode delivers the real strategy.

Key Takeaways:

• Start small, grow smart – Why the best first business is the one that buys you freedom.
• Cold email isn’t your strategy, it’s your trap – How Karl scaled by building trust, not blasting inboxes.
• Scaling isn’t sexy, it’s systems – The real talk on hiring, delegation, and letting go of control.

🎙️ Podcast Quote: "Every entrepreneur uses their unfair advantage. The best ones lean into it hard." – Karl Hughes

Like this episode? Send it to someone building a business and needs the blueprint. Subscribe to Unfinished Business for unfiltered conversations on entrepreneurship, leadership, and smart growth.

Connect with Karl Hughes:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karllhughes/
• Website: https://draft.dev
• Business Portfolio: https://www.karllhughes.com
• Podcast: The Business of Open Source

Connect with David Sliman

• Website: http://salesproformance.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidslimansalespro/
• Linktr: https://linktr.ee/salesproformance
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SalesProformancePCS
• Email: GoPro@SalesProformance.com

This episode is brought to you by Unfinished Business, where we dive deep into the journeys of people who are reshaping what success looks like. Make sure to tune in for more episodes that’ll inspire your own entrepreneurial path!

Developed by Titan Media Worx – making podcasting easy and professional. Learn more about our video editing services and how we can help you grow! Visit our website: https://titanmediaworx.com/

#UnfinishedBusiness #Sales #Leadership #DavidSliman #Growth #Mindset #Business #FamilyBusiness #SalesDevelopment #Strategy #Training #Results #CEO #CEOLeadership #Entrepreneurship #Success #Podcast #Interview #KarlHughes #DraftDev #Entrepreneurship #StartupGrowth #ServiceBusiness #FounderJourney #TechContent #BusinessAcquisition

Leadership isn’t about titles, it’s about self-awareness, accountability, and a growth mindset. In this episode of Unfinished Business, host David Sliman sits down with Dr. Gary McGrath, CEO of Statarius and creator of the LeaderStep7™ program, to unpack what it really takes to go from good boss to great leader.

With a background in the military, corporate sales, and leadership coaching for Fortune 500 companies, Dr. Gary shares how emotional intelligence, questioning, and compassionate accountability transform both business cultures and personal relationships. If you're leading a team, scaling a company, or trying to elevate your own leadership DNA, this one hits home.

Key Takeaways:

• Why emotional intelligence matters more than charisma – And how to develop it.
• Compassionate accountability – How to lead with both empathy and high standards.
• Forget authority and become a coach – Why the best leaders ask better questions (and listen harder).

🎙️ Podcast Quote: "Leadership is a responsibility, not a position." – Dr. Gary McGrath

If this episode made you think differently about leadership, share it with someone who needs it. And don’t forget to subscribe to Unfinished Business for more straight-talk on business, growth, and becoming your best.

Connect with Dr. Gary McGrath:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgarymcgrath/
• Website: https://www.statarius.com
• Books: Mastering Leadership and The Seven Steps of Intentional Leadership

Connect with David Sliman

• Website: http://salesproformance.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidslimansalespro/
• Linktr: https://linktr.ee/salesproformance
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SalesProformancePCS
• Email: GoPro@SalesProformance.com

This episode is brought to you by Unfinished Business, where we dive deep into the journeys of people who are reshaping what success looks like. Make sure to tune in for more episodes that’ll inspire your own entrepreneurial path!

Developed by Titan Media Worx – making podcasting easy and professional. Learn more about our video editing services and how we can help you grow! Visit our website: https://titanmediaworx.com/

#UnfinishedBusiness #DavidSliman #Sales #Leadership #DavidSliman #Growth #Mindset #Business #FamilyBusiness #SalesDevelopment #Strategy #Training #Results #CEO #CEOLeadership #Entrepreneurship #Success #Podcast #Interview #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #ExecutiveCoaching #LeaderStep7 #BusinessMindset #SelfAwareness #GrowthLeadership #CompassionateAccountability #GaryMcGrath

Let’s face it: IT only becomes “urgent” when something breaks. But Harold Mann, President of Mann Consulting, says that mindset is exactly why businesses lose time, money, and trust. On this episode of Unfinished Business, David Sliman gets into it with Harold on tech mistakes that cost companies big, the importance of proactive systems, and why your onboarding, offboarding, and cybersecurity processes should never be an afterthought.

With more than 30 years in IT, Harold has helped organizations, from fast-scaling startups to established enterprises, transform their operations by thinking strategically about technology, not reactively. If you’re tired of tech chaos or ready to scale without breaking your systems, this one’s for you.

Key Takeaways:

• Stop treating IT like a fire extinguisher – How a proactive approach to tech creates real business efficiency.
• Why your newest hire should write your onboarding checklist – A smarter way to tighten processes and avoid confusion.
• Think like a 50-person company (even if you’re 5) – The systems you build now determine how well you grow later.

🎙️ Podcast Quote: "Hard work, easy life. Easy work, hard life." – Harold Mann

Connect with Harold Mann:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hmann/
• Website: https://www.mann.com/

Connect with David Sliman

• Website: http://salesproformance.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidslimansalespro/
• Linktr: https://linktr.ee/salesproformance
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SalesProformancePCS
• Email: GoPro@SalesProformance.com

This episode is brought to you by Unfinished Business, where we dive deep into the journeys of people who are reshaping what success looks like. Make sure to tune in for more episodes that’ll inspire your own entrepreneurial path!

Developed by Titan Media Worx – making podcasting easy and professional. Learn more about our video editing services and how we can help you grow! Visit our website: https://titanmediaworx.com/

#UnfinishedBusiness #Sales #Leadership #DavidSliman #Growth #Mindset #Business #FamilyBusiness #SalesDevelopment #Strategy #Training #Results #CEO #CEOLeadership #Entrepreneurship #Success #Podcast #Interview