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128. Think Like A CEO: From $0 to $50 Million: How One Sales-Focused CEO Built Two Successful Companies with Kyle Wilson
Episode 14425th September 2025 • Elite Achievement • Kristin Burke
00:00:00 00:31:23

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What happens when a sales-focused CEO challenges everything we think we know about growing a business? Kyle Wilson doesn't just question conventional wisdom, he turns it upside down.

Kyle built Yellow Diamond Logistics to $50 million in just four years by focusing on what many founders try to avoid: doing the sales himself. His secret? Identifying his highest-value activity (sales calls) and systematically delegating everything else. This laser focus created extraordinary results that most companies only dream of achieving.

In our conversation, Kyle delivers a provocative message for today's business leaders: personal relationships are making a comeback while digital marketing effectiveness continues to decline. "I truly think personal relationships are back," Kyle asserts, explaining how in-person connections create trust that simply can't be replicated through digital channels. He challenges listeners to examine where their top customers actually come from; a simple exercise that often reveals surprising insights about what truly drives business growth.

Now leading his second successful venture, Thrive Modal, Kyle shares why he believes hiring global talent isn't just about cost savings: it's about creating mutually beneficial relationships that transform both companies and lives. His passionate commitment to connecting Filipino professionals with US companies stems from personal experience: "I really do wake up every day and know I could not have done it with an American staff," he explains, crediting much of his success to the dedication of his global team members.

Perhaps most surprising is Kyle's candid revelation about how sobriety accelerated his business growth. Being "100% present" from early morning until late evening has allowed him to maximize networking opportunities while maintaining the focus needed for effective leadership.

Ready to rethink your approach to scaling? Visit thrivemodal.com to discover how Kyle's team can help you tap into global talent that might just transform your business trajectory. 

In this podcast you will learn how:

• Defining elite success as creating value for everyone in the organization, not just personal achievement

• Identifying your highest-value activity and delegating everything else

• Why in-person relationships outperform digital marketing strategies for most businesses

• Looking at where your top five customers came from to guide future growth efforts

• Taking calculated financial risks as an essential part of entrepreneurship

• Building a company with global talent that creates opportunity for everyone involved

• Finding your North Star and helping employees connect with their deeper motivations

• How sobriety and 100% presence accelerated business growth

• The importance of CEO coaching for sustainable business success

Highlights:

0:00

Welcome to Think Like a CEO

1:48

Kyle Wilson: Sales-Focused CEO

5:35

Personal Relationships as Competitive Advantage

11:00

Taking Financial Risk as an Entrepreneur

16:35

Building a Business That Makes More

27:15

The Power of Global Talent

31:10

Episode Closing and Call to Action

Interested in 1:1 Coaching?

Kristin partners with high-performing financial advisors, leaders, and business owners who are ready to lead with more clarity, focus, and intention.

Clients often come to her with a strong vision, but they aren’t sure how to close the gap between where they are now and where they want to go. Many are navigating a season of growth, stepping into expanded leadership, or realizing they’ve outgrown their current systems and ways of working.

They know they’re capable of more and want a strategic thought partner to help them get there, someone who will ask the tough questions, create space to think deeply, and offer a proven process for turning ambition into meaningful progress.

If this sounds like the kind of partnership you’ve been craving, email meet@kristinburke.com to learn more and connect.

Connect with Kristin

LinkedIn

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Website

Goal Setting Success Course

Breakout Plan

Connect with Kyle

Thrive Modal

Yellow Diamond Logistics

Chapters

Video

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