Ep 325 Profit Mastery: Keep More of What You Make with Ben Hansen, The Profit Doctor; Austin, TX, USA
Most leaders swear they have a revenue problem, but sometimes that belief is often the fastest way to stay stuck with “profititis.”
In this episode of Disruptive CEO Nation, I sat down with Ben Hansen, the “Profitability Doctor,” to unpack why so many growing businesses still feel like they’re getting punched in the face every day. Ben explains his framework for diagnosing “profititis” (strong or growing revenue paired with weak, flat, or declining profit), why you usually can’t “grow your way out” of a profit problem, and how leaders can shift from revenue obsession to profit psychology.
We talk through practical ways to identify profit leaks beyond basic expense-cutting, including recognizing low-performing work that silently drains payroll-heavy service businesses. Ben also shares how to separate “run rate” operations from growth investments, evaluate growth channels like a portfolio manager, and why pruning the wrong work can create the capacity and cash to scale the right way.
Here are the highlights:
-“Profititis” defined: When revenue looks healthy but profit is weak, flat, or declining, the real issue isn’t sales, it’s profitability.
-The growth trap: If profits dropped from $6M to $8M in revenue, there’s no reason to assume $10M will magically fix it without changing the model.
-Profit psychology first: Profitability requires its own focus and strategy, not just “sell more” plus “work harder.”
-Dump ballast, don’t just burn hotter: Like a hot air balloon, removing dead weight (low-value work, misfit clients, inefficient delivery) can lift profitability faster than pushing for more volume.
-The “double-double” path: Ben’s preferred sequence is to double profitability first, then scale revenue, because growth becomes easier and more rewarding when the engine is tuned.
About the guest:
Ben Hansen is a profitability specialist, award-winning entrepreneur, and speaker who helps business owners stop the financial bleeding and restore healthy profits and cash flow. Known as The Profit Doctor, he specializes in curing Profititis – when the revenue is there, but the profit isn’t.
A 5x Inc. 5000 founder and former Fortune 100 executive (Dell, Microsoft), Ben built an eight-figure staffing firm from the ground up. Today, he advises $2M–$50M owner-led companies looking to reclaim the dream that got them started. Based in Austin, Ben lives with his wife Ginger and their dog Cash. He’s also a fan of live music, college football, and any business that’s done being overworked and underpaid.
Connect with Ben:
Website: https://profitdoctor.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhansen/
Connect with Allison:
Feedspot has named Disruptive CEO Nation as one of the Top 25 CEO Podcasts on the web.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonsummerschicago/
Website: https://www.disruptiveceonation.com/
#CEO #leadership #startup #founder #business #businesspodcast
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