The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast CNLP Bonus 018 | Shannon Miles on Starting a Rapidly Growing Company, Moving from A Scarcity Mindset to an Abundance Mindset, and What She Learned from Richard Branson
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Apr 12, 2018 
Shannon Miles, Co-CEO of Belay Solutions and author of The Third Option, shares her rise from humble roots to building a rapidly scaling remote-staffing company. She discusses founding Belay, shifting from a scarcity to an abundance mindset, smart delegation and sunsetting services, and lessons learned from Richard Branson about dreaming big and presence in leadership.
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Childhood Hardship Shaped Her Drive
- Shannon grew up in low-income, moving between South Carolina and Ohio, working from age 10 to help buy basics like clothes and makeup.
- Her family lost homes to Hurricane Hugo and her parents' divorce shaped a scarcity background that later motivated education and work.
Don't Launch Alone Use Early Help
- Do not try to start or scale a venture alone; bring people in early through hiring, outsourcing, or contracting to avoid burnout.
- Shannon and Brian risked their 401ks and relied on scrappiness and early hires to get traction while protecting family stability.
Measure Fast And Sunset What Fails
- Be realistic about profitability and stop funding ideas that don't sell; measure results and sunset failing lines quickly.
- They tried a costly church partnership service that nobody bought and cut it after measuring poor returns.
