On this week’s episode of Turning into Self Made, I sat down with somebody who embodies one of the highly effective traits a founder can have: the braveness to query the whole lot.
His title is Yoseph West, the Co-Founder and CEO of Relay Monetary, the web banking and cash administration platform constructed to assist small companies take management of their money move. Earlier than Relay, Yoseph led advertising at Hubdoc (acquired by Xero) and co-founded Vuru (acquired by Wave). In different phrases: he’s not new to constructing, scaling, and beginning over.
However what makes this dialog so particular isn’t his resume (although spectacular!) it’s the evolution behind it. As a result of Yoseph didn’t begin out because the considerate, long-term, growth-centered chief he’s at the moment.He began out with a chip on his shoulder. (And we like rebels round right here.)
Yoseph’s path from there to right here is full of classes each entrepreneur wants to listen to.
The Enterprise Grows Solely as A lot as You Do
If there’s one line from this episode it’s essential tattoo on the within of your mind, it’s this:
“The flexibility for the enterprise to develop is a operate of how a lot you develop as a frontrunner.”
Yoseph realized this whereas scaling Relay. The early gasoline; the push, the hustle, the need-to-prove-something vitality; solely carries a founder thus far.
In some unspecified time in the future, your organization outpaces who you at present are, and calls for a brand new model of you.
That’s the place Yoseph made the shift from grinding tougher to rising smarter.
From doing the whole lot to discovering leverage.
From reacting to deliberately reinventing himself.
And that reinvention is steady.
Impartial Considering: Deal with Info as Knowledge, Not Directions
Yoseph’s superpower began early.
He grew up in a family that inspired unbiased pondering like questioning medical doctors as a child, ending highschool early, even turning away from a authorized profession after watching a depressing lawyer communicate at a job truthful.
That very same mindset guided his entrepreneurial instincts.
He didn’t settle for trade norms at face worth.
He didn’t assume issues have been “simply the way in which issues are.”
He didn’t observe recommendation blindly,even good recommendation.
As a substitute, he requested:
“What drawback am I really fixing right here?”
He listened to mentors, advisors, friends, clients, however handled all of it as knowledge, not commandments.
It’s that mindset led him to the core drawback Relay now solves: entrepreneurs deserve clear, real-time monetary visibility.
Impartial pondering is what builds nice merchandise, and nice firms.
Partnerships Work Solely When Everyone Wins
One other standout second from the episode was Yoseph’s honesty about partnerships.
He has co-founded a number of firms.
He has partnered with Revenue First. And he’s realized this the onerous approach:
Nice partnerships aren’t constructed on imaginative and prescient, they’re constructed on alignment.
Actual alignment means conversations that really feel like reality, not negotiation.
Yoseph realized that partnerships solely thrive when:
- each side assume long-term
- each side deeply perceive the opposite’s priorities
- and the result is a win for everybody (particularly the shopper)
That’s how Relay’s partnership with Revenue First moved from thought → friction → large alignment and affect.
Partnership is empathy in motion.
Scaling Sensible: Discover the Leverage, Then Reinvent Your self
Relay didn’t scale as a result of Yoseph added extra hours to his day.
It scaled as a result of he saved asking:
“What are the few actions that create outsized outcomes?”
It’s traditional 80/20—however practiced with self-discipline and humility.
And extra importantly, Yoseph did the inner work required to steer an organization that was doubling, then doubling once more. Teaching, management growth, even unconventional private work, he embraced all of it.
As a result of a founder main six folks can’t behave the identical approach as a founder main a whole lot.
Progress requires reinvention.
Over and over.
Three Large Classes for Each Entrepreneur
1. Query Every part (However Determine for Your self)
Ask “What drawback am I really fixing?”
Search enter broadly.
Deal with all of it as knowledge, not gospel.
Then resolve.
2. Construct Partnerships Round Shared Wins
Search for alignment.
Suppose long-term.
Create outcomes the place everybody, particularly your buyer, wins.
3. Scale by Rising Your self First
Your organization can’t outgrow your capability.
Spend money on teaching, self-awareness, and strategic leverage.
Develop into the chief your corporation wants subsequent.
Closing Thought
Speaking with Yoseph jogged my memory of a reality many founders ignore:
You don’t scale an organization. You scale your self, and the corporate follows.
This episode is a must-listen for those who’re constructing, rebuilding, or reimagining your corporation, and particularly for those who really feel such as you’re outgrowing the particular person you was.
You’re in good firm.
And also you’re precisely the place it’s essential be.
– Mike
PS – There’s only one extra episode for this season! Each obtain helps us safe Season Two. If the present helps your development, that is your likelihood to maintain it alive. Obtain right here on Apple or Spotify!
