The Business Game
The Business Game
The Business Game is not another highlight reel of overnight success. It is a structured, honest breakdown of what it really takes to build, scale, and sustain a business at every level.
We built The Business Game around a simple truth: business changes as revenue changes. The problems at $500K are not the problems at $5M. The mindset at $5M is not the mindset at $50M. That is why every conversation is grounded in our 10-Level framework, from Level 1 Startup and Survival through to Level 10 Legacy and Exit.
If you are:
• Trying to get your first consistent revenue
• Building your first real team
• Breaking through the messy middle
• Scaling toward eight or nine figures
• Or preparing for exit
There is an episode that meets you where you are.
Hosted by Steve Plummer and Kalena Stano, who speak to founders operating at every stage of the game. No gatekeeping. No hype. No recycled advice. Just real numbers, real mistakes, real strategy, and real decisions that moved the needle.
Each week, we publish two episodes every Monday and Thursday at 6pm AEST, featuring global founders, operators, and investors who break down what actually works at their level and what does not.
The Business Game exists to give you clarity. To help you identify your current level. To show you the moves required to reach the next one.
Because scaling is not random. It is a game. And every level has different rules.
Find your level. Play it properly. Then level up.
Watch video episodes on YouTube and explore more at thebusinessgamegroup.com
The Business Game
Female AI Founder: “We Made $200,000… And Had $16,000 In The Bank”
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LEVEL TWO: EARLY BUILDER
What happens when your business is growing… but your fundamentals are quietly breaking underneath you?
In this episode of The Business Game, Carla Penn-Kahn, co-founder of ProfitPeak, shares what it really takes to build and scale a company in one of the fastest-moving spaces in business, AI-driven and agentic commerce.
This isn’t just a conversation about growth; it's a conversation about what happens when the numbers look good on paper, but the reality behind the scenes tells a very different story. From making $200K in revenue but not being able to pay payroll, to hiring the wrong people because they were the best available at the time, Carla breaks down the moments that most founders do not talk about, but all eventually face.
Carla shares the reality of building from zero for the first time after previous successful turnarounds, this time in a new category and a new market with no brand awareness, as well as her personal lessons from building from scratch. From learning (the hard way!) that you can't run a company like a family, to shifting from earning trust to giving it first, Carla talks us through how her leadership style has evolved across multiple businesses... and what it takes to build a team that can keep up with the speed of an AI-first world.
If you're building a business, hiring your first team, or trying to move out of the chaos of early growth... This episode is for you!
Let's dive in, with Carla Penn-Kahn:
• why making revenue does not mean you have cash
• the $200K payroll mistake that changed everything
• how unclear messaging can stall growth and how to fix it
• why problems in business happen hourly, not daily
• hiring the wrong people and why it is often unavoidable early
• the role of resilience in surviving constant setbacks
• the leadership shift from “nice founder” to real CEO
• why trust is given first, not earned over time
• how AI is changing e-commerce and decision-making
• what founders need to build now to stay competitive
Follow The Business Game for more real conversations with founders building across all levels of business.
Thank you for listening to The Business Game, where real founders break down the real levels of business.
Whether you're building at Level 1 ($0–$1M) or scaling through Level 6 and beyond, this show is designed to help you understand exactly where you are, and what it takes to level up.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, follow and leave a review. It helps more founders find the roadmap.
For full episodes, level breakdowns and behind-the-scenes content, follow us on YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Want to identify your level or learn more about The Business Game framework?
Visit www.thebusinessgamegroup.com
It's time to Level Up!
We’ll see you at the next level.
