From Lone Wolf to Leadership: Why Culture Is the Key to Scaling (with Steve Toth)

Oct 15

There’s a stage in every entrepreneur’s journey where the grind starts to wear thin.
You’re still passionate, still driven—but you’re tired. And honestly? A little stuck.

Because no matter how many hours you put in, you can’t grow a business past a certain point on hustle alone.

That’s where my conversation with Steve Toth picks up.

On this episode of the TrustBuilt Podcast, we unpacked what it really takes to go from doing everything yourself to building a culture and a team that can grow with you—and without you.

Steve’s the founder of Crestline Leaders and a guy who’s seen it all—from scrappy startups to big enterprise teams. His journey from teenage lawn care mogul to Fortune 500 coach had me nodding the whole way through.

Culture: It’s Not a Perk. It’s the Plan.

The big idea in this episode?
Culture isn’t something you create when you finally have time. It’s something you build while you build the business.

Steve breaks it down like this:

Vision gives people clarity.
If your team doesn’t know where you’re going, don’t be surprised when they wander.

Values shape behavior.
Authentic values attract A-players. Generic values collect dust on a poster.

Accountability is purpose’s first cousin.
(That quote hit me in the gut.) When people understand the “why,” they own the “how.”

Delegation is not abdication.
You can’t just hand someone a task and walk away. Trust means staying connected without hovering.

What Stuck With Me Most

At one point, Steve said:

“A flourishing team isn’t just good for culture. It’s the real lever for scaling your business.”

And he’s right.

You don’t build enterprise value by staying in the weeds. You build it by creating systems, clarity, and trust—so your team becomes your advantage, not your limitation.

Whether you’re still leading solo or trying to get more buy-in from your crew, this episode is packed with practical ways to start building a values-driven team culture now.