The Third Growth Option with Benno Duenkelsbuehler and Guests
Welcome to The Third Growth Option, where we're not just talking about growth—we're making it our mission.
At TGO, we understand that success isn't a fixed destination; it's an ongoing journey with twists, turns, and unexpected detours that take us to new places. Those moments are our Third Growth Options, where we throw away binary choices to create our own path.
Hosted by Benno Duenkelsbuehler, O.G #GrowthNerd, we're on a mission to redefine success inside and outside of business, one episode at a time. From humble beginnings to Fortune 500 companies, our stories are not just about business—it's about the relentless pursuit of greatness in every aspect of life.
With each episode, we don’t just want to share insights—we want to empower business owners across all frontiers to carve their own path to success, their way.
Want to learn more?
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realignexpansionsherpas/
Follow Benno on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/benno1/
or
Checkout https://realignforresults.com/
Episodes
182 episodes
Why “Best Practice” Is the Wrong Answer for Growing Your Business
The safest answer is often the one that quietly shrinks your options.When I was 16, leaving Germany to join my family in the United States, I dug up a small seedling from a beloved backyard tree the night before my flight. I packed i...
The Chef and the Waiter Framework for Growth
Growth can stall even when the product is loved, pricing is right, and teams deliver on time. The blocker is mixing pre-sale and post-sale decisions in the same conversation. Our Sherpas use a simple pattern to untangle i...
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Cowboys vs. Bureaucrats
Ever feel stuck between chaotic speed and suffocating process? This episode opens the conversation on finding the middle ground—what we call structured entrepreneurship.We get into:Why cowboy chaos and heavy b...
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Persistence & Tenacity
Growth looks clean on charts—but anyone who’s built something real knows it’s messy.This week we’re opening a conversation about what actually drives long-term success: persistence and tenacity.Not the flashy kind. The qu...
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Strategic Planning - Not Just "a thing", but 2 Things.
We unpack why strategic planning fails, when leaders confuse the destination with the plan — and how a bold North Star fuels execution.Key Takeaways:AVOID thinking too small (seeing goals as “Finish Lines”)INS...
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Radical Candor and Visibility
We explore two tools that make growth faster and cleaner: visibility and radical candor. Together, they align teams, shorten loops, and turn feedback into progress.• Use shared KPIs and reports to improve alignment&...
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Discovering Your Growth DNA
Growth requires understanding your personal and organizational DNA, which helps navigate the exciting yet uncertain journey of development.Growth DNA = the overlap of what you’re great at, what you love, and what drives econo...
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Product Design & Product Management - Building Blocks
Inspired by Cincinnati’s historic Findlay Market, I pulled together three simple but powerful tools that help any leader (not just product managers) contribute to product strategy. These frameworks create a shared language that makes c...
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What's Brand & Brand Management Basics
Branding isn’t about logos or colors—it’s about making a compelling promise and consistently delivering on it. The simple definition “Compelling Promise Delivered” shifts branding from a surface-level exercise to a true growth dri...
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Strat Plan Acronyms - Choosing Your Favorite, Pros and Cons
Strategic planning works best when you treat it as two jobs: setting the big vision and mapping the step-by-step path to get there. The right framework—whether EOS, OGSP, or the 1-2-3 process—can make the difference between plans that collect d...
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The Three Lenses of Growth
Brand Mockup/Customer Journey (CMO); P&L Forecast (CFO); Process Flowchart (COO)At the heart of successful business expansion are three essential perspectives that we explore in depth. The customer le...
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Why Do Companies Get Stuck? How Implementing the TGO 1-2-3 Process Can Help.
We all get stuck—it’s part of growth. But getting unstuck doesn’t mean charging ahead blindly. Often, the smartest move is to pause, zoom out, and chart a clearer path forward.Here’s a quick breakdown of how the 1-2-3 Growth Process
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Three Ways to Grow - TGO
The growth strategy you’ve trusted for years might be the very thing keeping your business stuck.Most companies default to a binary choice:Organic growth (get better, faster, cheaper with what you’ve got), or<...
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TRAILER SEASON 3 - TGCT Premiers TOMORROW
After 16 years running a growth agency and 160+ podcast episodes, I've encountered countless questions about business growth from where to start to how to break cross-functional gridlock. Season 3 is all about answering those questi...
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TRAILER SEASON 3 - What to Expect
After 16 years running a growth agency and 160+ podcast episodes, I've encountered countless questions about business growth from where to start to how to break cross-functional gridlock. Season 3 is all about answering those questi...
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TRAILER SEASON 3 - Framing The Growth Climber's Toolbox 🧰
After 16 years running a growth agency and 160+ podcast episodes, I've encountered countless questions about business growth from where to start to how to break cross-functional gridlock. Season 3 is all about answering those questi...
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Feel the Fear and Launch Anyway: Two Business Owners Get Real
Dawn Grooters and Benno Duenkelsbuehler explore the challenges and strategies of marketing your own business as two business owners who help companies grow, yet struggle with their own messaging.• Authenticity in business requires balan...
Growth by Combining Luxury Reach and Exclusivity with Marty Shapiro
Marty Shapiro, COO of LAFCO New York, explores how luxury fragrance brands can grow their reach while maintaining their special appeal in today's evolving retail landscape. He shares strategies for creating consistent brand experiences across m...
Balancing Subject Expertise with Entrepreneurial Spirit with Kara Williams
Growth isn't just about getting bigger—it's about getting better. This episode explores how blending expertise with entrepreneurial energy can lead to more meaningful business outcomes.We cover:Balancing structure with flexib...
Navigating Discomfort and Building Trust Through Effective Communication with Cody Seaber
We explore how to approach and engage in uncomfortable conversations that can ultimately lead to valuable insights and business growth. Through thoughtful discussion with Cody Seaber, we highlight the importance of understanding human psycholog...
From Beer Trucks to Business Leadership: George White on Innovation & Growth
This episode explores the journey of George White, a serial entrepreneur who shares insights on the power of storytelling, creativity, and structured processes in driving business growth. Listeners will learn about the importance of customer ne...
Attracting Top Talent with Colleen Pfaller
This episode highlights the vital role of branding in attracting and retaining top talent in today's job market. Colleen Pfaller discusses insights from an employee value perception study, emphasizing the importance of authentic employer brandi...
Preparing to Sell Your Business, with Sally Anne Hughes
Understanding the complexities of selling a business can be daunting for entrepreneurs, but this episode dives deep into M&A processes, from initial evaluations to closing the deal. With actionable insights and real-world success stories, t...
Future Focused with Dev Patnaik
This week's episode emphasizes the critical need for future-focused leadership in evolving business landscapes. Dev Patnaik discusses the pitfalls of present-centric thinking and offers practical strategies for balancing immediate tasks with fu...
