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Overview
On this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, John Jantsch interviews Dr. Sabrina Starling, founder of Tap the Potential, business growth expert, and creator of the Four Week Vacation™ model. Sabrina shares her hard-won lessons on succession planning, letting go, and building a company that can truly run without you. After a personal tragedy forced her to step away for six weeks, she discovered the systems, mindsets, and leadership development needed to create a business that’s sustainable, profitable, and supports the lives of owners and teams alike. If you want your business to thrive—whether you’re present or not—this episode is packed with practical, people-focused advice.
About the Guest
Dr. Sabrina Starling is a business growth strategist, founder of Tap the Potential, and a sought-after coach, speaker, and author. Known for her expertise in people-focused systems and her signature Four Week Vacation™ approach, she helps entrepreneurs build companies that support—not consume—their lives. Sabrina’s work centers on leadership, succession planning, and sustainable, joyful business growth.
Actionable Insights
- Mindset is 98% of the battle—most bottlenecks in business start with owners’ beliefs about what’s possible and what they “have” to do themselves.
- Letting go can be forced by life—don’t wait for a crisis to test your business’s sustainability; plan, delegate, and build systems now.
- True succession planning is about protecting your team and your business’s legacy, not just who “takes over” someday.
- Simple, recurring reviews (every 1–2 years) are better than overwhelming, one-time estate planning attempts; aim for progress, not perfection.
- Don’t assume family will want to take over—groom and empower team leaders and create buy-in/ownership options thoughtfully.
- Delegation is a growth engine: Use the $10,000 Activity Chart to identify what only you should do and empower your team to take on the rest.
- A Four Week Vacation is a test—and a tool—for building a business that lasts. Start with small steps, unplug for a day, then build up.
- When you delegate, let your team own the outcome—don’t take the task back or undermine their growth.
Great Moments (with Timestamps)
- 00:39 – The Real Bottleneck: Mindset, Not Systems
Why “I can’t” thinking is the real block to business growth. - 02:57 – What Happens When You Truly Step Away?
How a personal tragedy revealed the power of systems and team leadership. - 05:57 – Refocusing on Succession and Legacy
The new lens of estate planning, sustainability, and impact after loss. - 09:12 – The Team-First Succession Model
How to protect your people and business, even if family doesn’t want to take over. - 14:33 – Leadership Development, Not Just “Replacement”
Why you must nurture leaders and build systems for a company to outlast its founder. - 17:59 – The Four Week Vacation as a Reality Test
Why you should step away before you feel ready—and what it reveals about your business. - 18:39 – The $10,000 Activity Chart
A practical tool for owners and leaders to delegate, focus, and grow. - 20:56 – Growth for A Players
Why empowering your team to own projects is key to their growth and retention.
Insights
“Mindset is 98% of the issue—most bottlenecks start with owners’ beliefs, not their systems.”
“Succession planning is ultimately about protecting your people and your business’s ability to serve—not just who takes over.”
“Don’t wait for a crisis: test your systems and your team’s leadership now, not someday.”
“The Four Week Vacation is more than a dream—it’s a stress test for sustainability and a path to real freedom.”
“Empower your team, delegate for growth, and let go—your business (and your life) will thank you.”
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Dr. Sabrina Starling, leadership
