In this episode of The Way To Value, we sit down with Michael D'Onofrio, founder of Tested HQ, to uncover how he scaled his startup from a one-man side hustle into a 12-person company working with Fortune 500s.

Michael shares his raw, behind-the-scenes experience of launching during the pandemic, hiring early team members, overcoming founder burnout, and the growing pains of managing people, processes, and purpose—all by design, not by chance.

👥 We also dive into:

-How to know when to leave your 9–5

-The importance of co-founders & team dynamics

-Hiring missteps and how assessments like DISC & Working Genius changed everything

-Building a strong culture while scaling fast

-Lessons learned from burnout and going “too wide, too fast”

🔧 If you're a founder, entrepreneur, or startup leader—this is a masterclass in scaling with intention.

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🌐 Learn More About Exit Strategy & Leadership – https://www.bydesignadvisors.com/contact-us

🎧 Subscribe to By Design Podcast for more unfiltered leadership truth bombs

📘 Finding Significance by Marty Osborne – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTQD79BH/?bestFormat=true&k=finding%20significance%20marty%20osborn&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k1_1_12&crid=37ZRISVQPV8P3&sprefix=marty%20osborn

🧠 Take the DISC Assessment – https://profiles.innermetrix.com/VO/b2a2eb33/en

Website: https://www.bydesignadvisors.com/

Dale's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalethrush/

Marty's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marty-osborn-78ba9b5/

Tom's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasrjoh

👉 Like this episode? Subscribe & turn on notifications so you don’t miss what’s next.

#StartupStory #EntrepreneurPodcast #TestedHQ #StartupFounders #ByDesignPodcast #HiringTips #WorkingGenius #DISCProfile #CultureBuilding #StartupLife

Most companies are terrible at marketing — and they don’t even know it.

In this no-fluff episode of the By Design Podcast, we sit down with marketing strategist Mary Selvaggio to unpack why your message isn't working, why your website is confusing, and why your marketing team is probably set up to fail.

From separating sales and marketing to using StoryBrand, drip marketing, and even ChatGPT the right way, Mary shares the brutal truths and fixes that most business owners desperately need to hear.

If you run a business, lead a team, or feel like you're "doing marketing" but nothing's clicking — this episode is a wake-up call.

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💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ Why combining sales and marketing into one person is a massive mistake

✔️ How drip marketing creates consistent, predictable growth

✔️ What StoryBrand teaches about simplifying your message

✔️ The website design mistakes that confuse customers

✔️ How to hire (and structure) a real marketing engine

✔️ Why most founders aren't clear on their value proposition

✔️ How to use ChatGPT without sounding robotic

✔️ “The rent is due every day” — a mindset shift for marketers and leaders

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📚 Mentioned in this Episode:

🌐 Learn More About Exit Strategy & Leadership – https://www.bydesignadvisors.com/contact-us

🎧 Subscribe to By Design Podcast for more unfiltered leadership truth bombs

📘 Finding Significance by Marty Osborne – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTQD79BH/?bestFormat=true&k=finding%20significance%20marty%20osborn&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k1_1_12&crid=37ZRISVQPV8P3&sprefix=marty%20osborn

🧠 Take the DISC Assessment – https://profiles.innermetrix.com/VO/b2a2eb33/en

Website: https://www.bydesignadvisors.com/

Dale's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalethrush/

Marty's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marty-osborn-78ba9b5/

Tom's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasrjoh

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💬 **Comment below:**

What’s *one* marketing mistake you've made — or still see companies making?

📺 Don’t forget to **LIKE, COMMENT & SUBSCRIBE** — new episodes weekly.

#MarketingMistakes #StoryBrand #MarySelvaggio #MarketingStrategy #ByDesignPodcast #StartupLeadership #SmallBusinessTips #HiringMarketers #ChatGPTMarketing #MarketingVsSales #BusinessGrowthTips

🚨 Fun Fact: 80% of partnerships fail.

This one didn’t — and the reason why will surprise you.

In this episode of the #bydesignpodcast, Dale, Marty, & Paul break down how the power of three partnership model led to years of growth, a successful exit, and almost zero drama along the way. From how they handled exits, to avoiding toxic compensation issues, to why founders staying too involved kills valuation, this conversation is full of real, hard-earned lessons.

If you’re a business owner, founder, or partner in a growing company — this is required listening.

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💡 What You'll Learn:

- The silent killer of most partnerships (and how they avoided it)

- Why equal pay structures reduce conflict

- The magic of “three” in leadership & decision-making

- How they scaled through a revenue plateau

- Why overly involved founders hurt company value

- The power of taking a “punt” every year (aka strategic risk)

- Why radical transparency builds long-term trust

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📌 **Resources & Links:**

🌐 Learn More About Exit Strategy & Leadership – https://www.bydesignadvisors.com/contact-us

🎧 Subscribe to By Design Podcast for more unfiltered leadership truth bombs

📘 Finding Significance by Marty Osborne – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DTQD79BH/?bestFormat=true&k=finding%20significance%20marty%20osborn&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k1_1_12&crid=37ZRISVQPV8P3&sprefix=marty%20osborn

🧠 Take the DISC Assessment – https://profiles.innermetrix.com/VO/b2a2eb33/en

Website: https://www.bydesignadvisors.com/

Dale's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalethrush/

Marty's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marty-osborn-78ba9b5/

Tom's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasrjoh

📺 Don’t forget to **LIKE + SUBSCRIBE** for more unfiltered business leadership content.

💬 Comment below:

**What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned about working with partners?**

#PartnershipSuccess #BusinessExitStrategy #LeadershipTeam #FounderMistakes #ByDesignPodcast #MartyOsborne #ScalingACompany #PEO #CultureByDesign #ExitPlanning #HowToSellACompany #AvoidPartnershipDrama