Scale Smart, Stay Grounded
Scale Smart, Stay Grounded is a podcast that pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to grow a business without losing sight of yourself or your priorities.
Each episode offers practical strategies to reduce overwhelm, reclaim clarity, and build a business that doesn’t come at the expense of your health or relationships.
Grab My FREE Checklist Unlock 10+ Extra Hours a Week with Strategic Delegation
🎙 Need Help Staying Afloat as the Visionary?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed juggling all the moving pieces of your business, it’s time for a shift. Let’s have a strategic conversation to help you move the needle.
💡 Book a Discovery Call: A no-pressure chat to explore what’s possible when you have the right support.
🔗 Schedule Here
🚀 Vision Casting + Strategic Planning Session
Are you a solopreneur inspired by this podcast but unsure of your next move?
Our 90-minute Vision Casting + Strategic Planning Session is designed to bring clarity to your chaos. This isn’t just another surface-level conversation—it’s a deep, solution-focused session where we assess:
✅ What’s working
✅ What’s not
✅ What needs to shift for you to scale smarter
If you’re ready to streamline your business and create a clear action plan, let’s dive in.
🔗 Book Your Session Now
✨ Want More Exclusive Content?
Loving the podcast and craving even more insights, tools, and behind-the-scenes strategies? Join our exclusive community for deeper conversations, curated resources, and actionable content.
Scale Smart, Stay Grounded
Eps. 12: When Success Makes You a Target: How Founders Can Protect Their Vision
In this episode, Amber Matthews unpacks what happens when success attracts opportunists disguised as collaborators—and why every founder needs a strategic partner who can quietly protect the vision, filter distractions, and spot red flags before they become costly mistakes.
If you’ve ever felt drained by partnerships that looked promising but fell flat, this conversation will help you tighten your circle, strengthen your discernment, and stay grounded in your mission.
My FREE Founder's Delegation Playbook 🔗Grab It Now
🎙 Need Help Staying Afloat as the Visionary?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed juggling all the moving pieces of your business, it’s time for a shift. Let’s have a strategic conversation to help you move the needle.
💡 Book a Discovery Call: A no-pressure chat to explore what’s possible when you have the right support. 🔗 Schedule Here
✨ Want More Exclusive Content?
Loving the podcast and craving even more insights, tools, and behind-the-scenes strategies? Join our exclusive community for deeper conversations, curated resources, and actionable content. 🔗 Join the tribe here
Let's Stay Connected...
Follow Me On LinkedIn
Follow Me On Instagram
Check Out My Website
Hello and welcome back to the Scale Smart, Stay Grounded podcast.
Today I want to talk to you about opportunist. At this stage in business you've doubled down and you've crafted your story. Your brand story celebrates your grit, your determination and your vision. Unfortunately, not everyone actually sees you that way.
Some people overlook your hard work, late nights and sacrifices and they just see access. Access to your network, access to your influence, and access to your wallet.
They see you as the opportunity. An opportunity to pad their pockets. An opportunity to stand next to your credibility, and an opportunity to leverage your name for their gain.
I find the part that's hardest to accept is that sometimes they come wrapped in good intentions. They love to throw around the word collaboration, but their actions reveal a quiet agenda.
Here's an example of how I've seen this play out and let me know if this sounds familiar. A client brought in a vendor who had great energy and all the right talking points. They shared a few mutual connections, so it felt safe, familiar even.
The client assumed, if they're in the same circle, they must have the same level of excellence. But within 30 days, it became crystal clear. This vendor didn't have the skill set or experience to deliver at the level required. Deadlines slipped and quality was underwhelming.
The client walked away with a valuable lesson. Everyone who has access doesn't have alignment.
This is when a strategic partner becomes invaluable. This person is more than a task taker. They support you strategically behind the scenes, learning your rhythms, understanding your vision, and protecting the integrity of what you're building. They know your playbook so well they can easily catch when something doesn't align. They've proven themselves to be trustworthy, so you listen when they bring observations to your attention before they become a distraction.
And you and I both know as you grow, the opportunities increase, and so do the opportunists.
Your greatest safeguard isn't suspicion, it's strategic partnership with someone who can filter the noise, protect your time, and remind you what actually moves the mission forward. Because not everyone respects what it took for you to build what you have. Some only see the benefits of being near it.
So here's my challenge to you this week. Look around your circle and ask yourself, when it comes to those who have close proximity to you, the founder, who's contributing to your vision and who's simply consuming it?
And as you continue to ascend in business and life, I want you to protect your energy, guard your vision, and if you don't already have a strategic partner by your side, this may be the time to find someone who can see what you don't.
