ALAN BENNETT — GUEST ONE-SHEET

Founder, TrustBuilt Business Solutions
Certified Exit Planning Advisor | Business Strategist | Team Engagement Expert

Bio

Alan Bennett is the founder of TrustBuilt Business Solutions and a Certified Exit Planning Advisor who helps business owners break free from the grind of day-to-day operations. With 20+ years of entrepreneurial experience—including both successful and hard-earned exits—Alan knows firsthand what it’s like to feel trapped by the business you built.

Today, he coaches owners in the service industries to build trust-driven teams, implement systems that scale, and create businesses that run smoothly—even when they’re not there. His signature approach blends strengths-based leadership, operational clarity, and value-building strategy to create company cultures where people actually want to stay, grow, and take ownership.

Alan’s mission: help entrepreneurs reclaim their time, increase their business value, and build companies that can thrive without them.

Alan Bennet, business coach, a smiling middle-aged man with gray hair, wearing a checkered shirt and a dark vest, standing outdoors with a blurred natural background.

Key Topics Alan Can Speak On

1. From Bottleneck to Builder: How Trust Transforms Teams

  • Why most owners unintentionally become bottlenecks

  • How to create a culture where employees take ownership

  • The “Negative Trust Cycle” and how to break it

2. Building Businesses That Run Without You

  • The 8 key drivers of company value

  • Delegation strategies for leaders who struggle to let go

  • How to build systems that make your business self-sustaining

3. Hiring & Keeping Motivated People

  • How to identify self-motivated employees (and what they look like on paper)

  • The hidden reasons your team disengages

  • What great managers do differently to retain top performers

4. The Hub-and-Spoke Trap & How to Escape It

  • The risk of being the only one who can “do it right”

  • How to spread responsibility without losing quality

  • Tactical steps to build independence into your operations

5. Preparing for a Future Exit—Even If You’re Not Selling Yet

  • Why owner-independence is the #1 value multiplier

  • Mistakes that kill valuation

  • Building a legacy company that lasts

Ideal Podcast Questions the Host Can Ask

Leadership & Team Building

  • “You talk about the ‘Negative Trust Cycle’—what is it, and why does it quietly crush so many businesses?”

  • “Why do so many service-based companies struggle with delegation?”

  • “How can a business owner rebuild trust after years of micromanaging?”

Owner Dependency & Operations

  • “How does an owner know if they’ve become the bottleneck?”

  • “What’s the first step to creating a business that runs without the owner?”

  • “Which operational systems make the biggest difference in owner independence?”

Hiring & Retention

  • “What are the top signals of a self-motivated employee during hiring?”

  • “What’s the biggest mistake owners make when onboarding new team members?”

Growing Company Value & Exit Planning

  • “You say every business owner is exiting—either voluntarily or involuntarily. Why is that mindset important now?”

  • “What are the top value drivers most owners overlook?”

Alan’s Personal Journey

  • “You’ve built and exited multiple companies. What was your turning point in realizing trust—not hustle—was the real key?”

  • “How did measuring steaks at 2 a.m. shape the way you coach leaders today?”

  • “What do you wish you had known as a first-time founder?”

Suggested Episode Titles

  • “Stop Being the Bottleneck: How to Build a Business That Runs Without You”

  • “Trust-Driven Leadership: The Missing Ingredient in Team Performance”

  • “Owner Freedom Starts with Systems, Not Sacrifice”

  • “How to Build a Valuable Company (Even If You’re Never Planning to Sell)”