12 - Building a Business That Runs and Grows Without You: Insights from Alan Pentz

5 to 50: Financial Strategies for Growing Companies

Looking to scale your service-based business without drowning in operational chaos?

Join Jeff Rudner on this episode of 5 to 50: Financial Strategies for Growing Companies as he sits down with Alan Pentz, founder and former CEO of Corner Alliance, to unpack how he scaled a consulting firm from startup to $35M in revenue. Alan shares actionable insights on evolving beyond founder-led sales, setting financial benchmarks like labor efficiency and gross margins, and making tough calls about leadership and systems. Tune in to learn how to work on your business, not just in it, and build a company that thrives without you.

What you will learn:

• How to evolve from founder-led sales to building a scalable sales organization
• Why gross margins must exceed 40% to create a sustainable business
• The critical financial metrics for tracking service business health
• How to strategically build your leadership team as you scale from $2M to $35M
• Why proper financial systems and projections are essential before scaling past $5M
• The framework for transitioning from working in the business to working on it
• How to identify when loyal early employees are blocking company growth
• The optimal timing for implementing new systems and processes
• Why equity compensation rarely makes sense in privately held service businesses
• How to achieve owner independence while maintaining strategic control

Alan Pentz is the founder and former CEO of Corner Alliance, a firm dedicated to enhancing digital infrastructure for federal programs in areas including broadband, cybersecurity, and public safety. With over two decades of consulting experience across government and corporate sectors, Alan has developed significant expertise in organizational transformation and business scaling strategies. Through his latest venture, His practical approach to business growth is based on learnings from scaling Corner Alliance to $35 million in revenue.

• Alan Pentz on LinkedIn
• Corner Alliance Website
• Jeff Rudner on LinkedIn
• Proseer Website
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Previous guests include: Sabrina Valle and Jessica Quon, co-founders of the Jam Stand and Mighty Picnic, Tom Hunt, Founder and CEO of Fame, Kenny Dettman, Founder and CEO of TaxNow, Rick Zullo, founder and managing partner of Equal Ventures, Adam Schwartz, founder and CEO of Parable and former co-founder of TeePublic.
Check out our three most downloaded episodes:

• Scaling Smarter: Adam Schwartz on Data, AI, and Entrepreneurial Growth
  
• The Exit Playbook: Johan Hoernell’s Secrets to Scaling and Selling

• Pivot & Prosper: Scaling a CPG Brand the Smart Way with Sabrina Valle and Jessica Quon