In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with the Author, Speaker, Serial Entrepreneur of Coach to the Best, Rich Russakoff.

Rich recognizes that entrepreneurs can sometimes get caught up in the day-to-day operations of their businesses and lose sight of their role as leaders. He helps these individuals step back, reevaluate their priorities, and focus on what they do best: building relationships and creating a vision for their company. By shifting their focus from operational management to relationship building, entrepreneurs can become more effective leaders and drive their businesses forward. Rich provides the support and guidance needed to make this transition, helping entrepreneurs rediscover their passion and purpose as leaders.

Rich emphasizes the importance of attracting and developing talented individuals in the success of a business. He points out that having a team of skilled and dedicated individuals is a critical factor in determining the success or failure of a company. The ability to attract and cultivate great people who have the skills and expertise to help the business succeed is a key differentiator for successful businesses. Rich works with entrepreneurs to help them build strong and effective teams, recognizing that the quality of the people they bring on board will have a major impact on the success of their ventures.

Key points from the Episode:

What is Coach To The Best about?
3 stages of business growth
Discovering how Rich Russakoff helps companies with high growth
What lifetime learners know that startups don’t?
Understanding the role of CEO in the business
What are the things to look for when attracting leaders and managers?

About Rich Russakoff: Rich Russakoff is an internationally acclaimed business coach, speaker, author, and serial entrepreneur. As President and CEO of ‘Coach to The Best’, Rich guides CEOs and entrepreneurs throughout the world. Rich is always in demand as a speaker, and has spoken at INC Magazine Conferences, the Fortune Growth Summit, The International Franchise Association, and at over 100 other entrepreneurial conferences and workshops throughout the world. He has also been a member of the faculty on the Entrepreneurial Masters Program at MIT for the past 20 years.

He writes a daily email called "Food For Thought", which is the basis of his books, People, Time & Money: Volume One, published last June, and People, Time & Money: Volume Two which was published in July. He is also the author of How to Make Banks Compete to Lend You Money and the chapter on bank financing in Verne Harnish’s NYT’s bestselling book Rockefeller Habits. Rich’s articles have appeared in CBS Moneywatch, CNN’s Ask the Expert, and the Austin Business Journal.

About Coach To The Best: Rich works with entrepreneurs to help them become better leaders. He helps them identify their strengths and weaknesses and provides guidance on how to improve their leadership skills. Through a combination of coaching, mentoring, and training, Rich equips entrepreneurs with the tools they need to be confident, effective, and successful leaders. Whether it's through improving communication skills, building more effective teams, or developing a clear and inspiring vision, Rich is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs become the best version of themselves as leaders.

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Want to learn more? Check out the Coach To The Best website at

1468 – Reinvent Yourself with Coach To The Best’s Rich Russakoff

The Thoughtful Entrepreneur

1468 – Reinvent Yourself with Coach To The Best’s Rich Russakoff