In this episode of Build Boldly, Pat Rodgers sits down with entrepreneur and RISE Commercial District founder Jim Sapp to unpack the lessons behind scaling multiple high-growth businesses.

Jim shares how he grew Indie Lube to 50 locations across the Midwest, why he learned early that no founder can scale alone, and how that experience helped shape the vision for RISE Commercial District. From hiring key leaders in operations, sales, finance, and accounting to building a bench of mentors across real estate, finance, and leadership, Jim offers practical insight for business owners navigating growth.

Pat and Jim also talk about how to test new ideas without overextending, why small bets can protect your business from expensive mistakes, and how to know when it’s time to let go of control, failed experiments, or team members who are not aligned with the company’s future.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why founders need to build around key roles early
• How mentors and advisors help de-risk big decisions
• Why passion and ownership matter when hiring
• How to test ideas before investing too heavily
• Why leadership is about communication, not control
• How RISE Commercial District grew from real entrepreneurial lessons

If you’re a founder, operator, or small business owner trying to scale beyond yourself, this conversation is packed with hard-earned advice on leadership, team building, mentorship, and smart growth.

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