In this episode of Electrifying Growth, we explore how leadership transitions can amplify growth in founder-led companies. Joel Kohn, founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Fingercheck, shares his journey of bootstrapping his HR and payroll software company. Now, with CEO Dan Kazan on board, Fingercheck is ready to take on its next growth phase with fresh perspectives and a scalable vision.

Joel and Dan share how their collaboration supports growth at Fingercheck, including the balance of product innovation and go-to-market expansion. Learn how founders can effectively hand over operational reins, enhancing company culture and strategic goals. This episode provides valuable insight into the practical and strategic considerations involved in leadership transitions.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Strategic Leadership Transitions Drive Growth: How bringing in outside leaders can speed up growth while helping founder-led businesses turn their vision into a strategy that scales

• Addressing the Needs of the Underserved Market: Why niching down and finding your audience—especially the underserved portions—can fast-track your growth

• Commitment to Serving Your Clients Well is Key: How solving problems for both pieces of your audience—the buyer and their employees, in Fingercheck's case—will lead to higher retention and satisfaction rates

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Meet Joel Kohn, Founder of Fingercheck, and CEO Dan Kazan

(02:21) Fingercheck's Mission

(04:11) Joel's Journey: Bootstrapping Fingercheck Without Outside Capital

(06:43) Building an Attendance System for the SMB Market

(09:14) Dan's Experience Stepping into Founder-Led Companies

(13:39) Real-Time Payroll and Employee Compensation

(16:21) Why Deskless Workers Are Often Overlooked by Technology

(19:08) Joel's Decision to Seek Outside Leadership

(24:17) Addressing the Unique Management Needs of SMBs

(30:38) The Partnership Between Founders and CEOs in Growth-Focused Companies