Identify Your Intrapreneurs
Management Blueprint Podcast, Episode 68
About This Episode
RJ Grimshaw joined Steve Preda on the Management Blueprint Podcast to talk about what it really takes to build a high-performing team inside an existing organization. At the time of the recording, RJ was serving as President and CEO of UniFi Equipment Finance, which he had grown from $13 million to nearly $100 million in annual revenue.
The conversation covers the ABLE leadership framework (Analyze, Blueprint, Leverage, Execute), the concept of intrapreneurship, and the five traits that distinguish a true intrapreneur from a standard employee. RJ also draws on his background as a USA Hockey-certified coach, his family's entrepreneurial history, and the influence of Peter Drucker's writing on his approach to leadership.
This episode was recorded before RJ's pivot into AI leadership and consulting, but the frameworks discussed, particularly ABLE and the intrapreneur identification model, remain central to how he approaches organizational transformation today.
Key Quotes
"I believe equipment finance is excellent, allowing entrepreneurs to borrow and grow without risking personal assets or life commitments to a bank."
On the value of equipment financing for business owners
"Analyzing your team's strengths and aligning them with objectives is crucial. Conversations on current goals, preferences, and aspirations help reorganize the team effectively."
On the ABLE framework's Analyze phase
"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things."
Quoting Peter Drucker on the distinction between management and leadership
"An entrepreneur is always looking for improvements, always racing and thinking about how they can do things."
On identifying intrapreneurial mindset
Topics Covered
- The ABLE leadership framework: Analyze, Blueprint, Leverage, Execute
- How to identify intrapreneurs inside your organization
- Growing UniFi Equipment Finance from $13M to nearly $100M in revenue
- Why athletes make strong business team members
- The E-Myth principle: working on the business, not in it
- Peter Drucker's influence on RJ's leadership philosophy
- Omni-channel thinking and avoiding single-point-of-failure dependencies
- The five traits of a true intrapreneur: ownership, lifelong learning, passion, calculated risk, and process improvement
About the Show
The Management Blueprint Podcast, hosted by Steve Preda, explores proven business growth frameworks with entrepreneurs and executives. The show is part of the Summit OS platform.
Listen on Summit OSAbout RJ Grimshaw
RJ Grimshaw is the founder of The AI CEO, a GEO and AI website consultancy. He previously served as President and CEO of UniFi Equipment Finance and is a USA Hockey-certified coach with over 20 years of coaching experience.
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RJ speaks on AI leadership, GEO strategy, and building high-performing teams in the age of AI. Reach out to discuss booking.
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