Nick Greer, founder of Built Bars and multiple successful ventures, Greer's experience demonstrates the power of letting a business grow beyond its founder. He built and sold his first major company after eight and a half years. Built Bars, his most recent venture, showcases his mastery of building sustainable businesses that thrive independently of their founder. Through his appearance on Startups with Stu, hosted by nine-time Inc. 5000 honoree Stuart Draper, Greer shares invaluable insights about transitioning from a founder-centric business model to one that empowers teams and sustains growth.

1. Release the Need for Control

One of Greer's first realizations about business came from recognizing his early mistakes in business leadership. Initially, he found himself at the center of every decision, creating a business structure that revolved entirely around him. While this is common among entrepreneurs, it ultimately proves unsustainable and limits your business’s growth potential.

This spurred Greer to come up with a new model. He maintains a unique schedule, working from 10 AM to 4 PM, proving that effectiveness isn't about the hours worked but the quality of contribution. By stepping back from day-to-day operations, he's found that he can accomplish more in these focused hours than he previously did working 8 AM to 6 PM.

The transformation from micromanager to more of a guiding role took effect when he decided to let his other employees take the stage. By trusting his chief commercial officer to make the final decision, Greer showed how releasing control actually strengthens the business. He now focuses primarily on culture, vision, and financial oversight, allowing his team to handle operational decisions and trusting them to do what they do best.

2. Build Strong Systems and Trust Your Team

Creating sustainable businesses requires self sustaining systems that can operate independently of the founder. Greer emphasizes the importance of building a foundation that allows the business to function smoothly without constant founder intervention.

Key aspects of building strong systems include:

• Establishing clear decision-making processes
• Creating standardized operational procedures
• Developing strong company culture
• Implementing reliable financial controls
• Empowering team members to take ownership
• Setting up effective communication channels

By establishing strong systems and trusting his team, he can focus on strategic vision while the business continues to thrive. This systematic approach allows him to take maintain work-life balance without compromising business growth.

3. Focus on Vision and Culture

For Greer, leading a company means developing a vision and a culture while letting that vision be flexible. A careful balance of maintaining company culture while allowing others to drive daily operations. Protecting the company's "vibe" and core values while resisting the urge to be the face of every initiative is a tricky balance to strike, but it is well worth it.

It requires a shift in mindset from being the central figure to being a guardian of culture and vision. Many local companies make the mistake of making their founder the center of their brand, and this does the company a disservice. Instead, Greer advocates for building a strong company culture that can thrive independently of any individual.

By focusing on vision and culture rather than day-to-day operations, businesses maintain their direction and values while empowering teams to execute effectively. This approach allows for sustainable growth and creates opportunities for others within the organization to develop their leadership capabilities.

4. Embracing Every Failure

Greer's experience has also led Greer to better understand the value of failure. Embracing failure as an essential part of growth makes a huge difference in your motivation. Entrepreneurs should choose to understand their failures, as these setbacks are often more instrumental in shaping success.

Failure serves as an opportunity to be humble. Greer’s early failures helped keep him grounded, preventing the kind of self-centered leadership that he sees as detrimental to business growth. These experiences taught him that success isn't about building a business around oneself, but rather about creating something that can thrive independently of its founder.

After achieving significant success you should keep learning from your failures. His approach demonstrates that failure isn't something to be feared or hidden. Failure is a vital tool for learning and growth. This is a game changer when considering that many of your successes come after multiple setbacks and learning experiences.

Your Next Steps in Business Growth

Nick Greer's hands-on entrepreneurship path to leadership offers lessons for any business owner looking to scale their company. His success with various startups demonstrates the effectiveness of building systems that allow businesses to grow beyond their founders.

To learn more about Nick Greer and what he’s up to, follow his work with Built Bars and his new venture, Spilt. His approach to business leadership continues to inspire entrepreneurs across industries, showing that true success comes not from maintaining control, but from building something that can thrive independently.