Kurt Schmidt on Growth, Trust, and Getting Out of Your Own Way as a Leader

Scaling a service business isn’t about leadership, trust, and clarity. In this episode of MustardHub Voices: Behind the Build, Curtis Forbes sits down with Kurt Schmidt, founder of Schmidt Consulting Group, to explore why so many agencies struggle to scale and what actually helps them move forward. Kurt shares his unconventional path from professional BMX rider to agency founder and advisor, and how those early experiences shaped his approach to leadership and resilience. The conversation dives into why many agencies don’t truly have a lead problem, but a positioning and trust problem, and how misalignment quietly leads to stalled growth and burnout. Kurt explains the risks of scaling without intention, why over-systematizing can erode value, and how leaders often get in their own way by confusing activity with strategy. They also discuss common sales mistakes, why proposals fail to close, and why leadership growth must start with honest self-reflection. This episode is a must-watch for agency founders and consultants who want to grow with intention — not ego. About Kurt: Kurt Schmidt is the founder of Schmidt Consulting Group, a business advisor, author, and former pro BMX rider with over 20 years of experience helping creative and tech companies grow through better strategy, positioning, and operations.