Most operators think scaling comes down to process. But the real unlock is talent.

In this episode of Founder’s Story, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down the lessons from year two of operating Alarm Masters — including the leadership hires that changed the company, the painful acquisition lessons they learned, and why investing ahead of growth became their biggest advantage.

They share why A players outperform entire teams of average talent, how building stronger operational structure transformed the business, and the acquisition mistakes that forced them to rethink diligence, integration, and growth strategy.

Inside this episode:
→ Why one A player outperforms two B players
→ Hiring a sales manager earlier than expected
→ Building accountability and structure across operations
→ What great operators actually do differently
→ The importance of humility in leadership hires
→ Lessons learned from successful and failed acquisitions

🔗 More Entry & Exit — https://www.entryandexit.co/

Connect:
Stephen Olmon — http://x.com/stephenolmon
Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy

Owned and Operated

New Episodes Every Wednesday!

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Most businesses don’t stall because of strategy. They stall because everything depends on the owner.

In this episode of Entry & Exit, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down the hidden cost of founder dependency — why owners become the bottleneck, how it limits growth, and what eventually breaks when every decision runs through one person.

They share lessons from scaling Alarm Masters, empowering employees to make decisions, and building a company that can grow without the owner at the center of everything.

Inside this episode:
→ Why founders become the bottleneck
→ The danger of tying the business to your identity
→ How owner dependency hurts growth and exits
→ Empowering employees to make decisions
→ What breaks when every relationship runs through the owner
→ Building a scalable company structure

🔗 More Entry & Exit — https://www.entryandexit.co/

Connect:
Stephen Olmon — http://x.com/stephenolmon
Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy

Owned and Operated

New Episodes Every Wednesday!

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Most business acquisitions don’t fail because of strategy. They fail because operators underestimate hiring, systems, and execution.

In this episode of Entry & Exit: Founder’s Story, Stephen Olmon and Collin Trimble break down the first full year running Alarm Masters after the acquisition — including the wins, the mistakes, and the operational changes that completely transformed the company.

They share how they scaled the business 60% in their first full year, why hiring cheap talent hurt growth, how international hiring became a major advantage, and the lessons they learned rebuilding sales systems, operations, and technology from the ground up.
Inside this episode:
→ Why hiring the cheapest option backfires
→ Building an international team that scaled the business
→ The mistakes they made with their first sales hire
→ Transitioning from legacy software to Salesforce
→ Balancing founder involvement vs delegation
→ Breaking company sales records three times in one year
→ How they grew Alarm Masters 60% in their first full year

🔗 More Entry & Exit — https://www.entryandexit.co/

Connect:

Stephen Olmon — http://x.com/stephenolmon

Collin Trimble — https://x.com/TXAlarmGuy

Owned and Operated

New Episodes Every Wednesday!

Subscribe For More