Plateaus to Profits: Entrepreneur Celi Arias on Scaling With the "Grown Ass Business" Method

·57 min·5 clips

Selly Arias created a visual method that shows entrepreneurs exactly where they are blind in their business.

Host Melinda Wittstock introduces the episode focused on moving from 'Plateaus to Profits' with guest Selly Arias, CEO of The Grown Ass Business. Arias begins by defining the 'messy middle' as the stage where six-figure businesses plateau because founders double down on their zone of genius, creating blind spots. She explains her proprietary 'Grown Ass Business Method,' a visual dashboard that outlines the six key growth engines representing a C-suite's responsibilities, helping entrepreneurs see gaps without hiring full executives. A major theme is the critical importance of knowing business numbers, particularly sales projections. Arias shares a personal anecdote from her decade as a fashion designer in Argentina, where she worked seven days a week because she avoided spreadsheets, believing she was 'creative and bad at math.' She stresses that not tracking numbers leads to burnout and inability to plan. The discussion shifts to scaling service businesses stuck on a 'hamster wheel' of selling and delivering; Arias advises simplifying offers to two or three and using profitable pricing tied to projections. She critiques the vague goal of 'I want more,' insisting measurable targets are essential. Arias then discusses her own business evolution from one-on-one coaching to developing software called GetScalePilot, detailing a two-year proof-of-concept phase running nine group program cohorts. For product-based businesses, she warns against building features without validating market problems and advocates the 'Kim Kardashian' strategy of perfecting one product before expanding. The conversation explores the entrepreneurial journey as personal growth, confronting trauma and the need for self-awareness. Wittstock and Arias discuss team building, distinguishing between visionary entrepreneurs and operational leaders, and the value of a COO to translate vision. They touch on exit planning and building business asset value beyond revenue. The episode concludes with Arias sharing her contact details and software launch timeline.

As heard by us

A dashboard turns messy-middle frustration into a clearer view of what the business is actually measuring.

Selly Arias's Grown Ass Business Method frames the episode around a familiar business stall point: what happens after ambition and strengths have taken a company forward, but the founder is still caught in the messy middle.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

You want to see which part of your business is stalling before you pour more effort into it.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Wings of Inspired Business