Building the People Systems That Scale with Scott Hanis - EP 34

Episode 34: Building the People Systems That Scale with Scott Hanis Why do promising businesses struggle to scale even when the market opportunity is there? For Scott Hanis, the answer often has less to do with strategy than with the people systems underneath it: clear roles, capable leaders, disciplined hiring, frequent communication, and accountability that grows with the company. In this episode, Mike and Zach sit down with Scott, co-founder of Fortitude HR Solutions and a human resources leader with more than 20 years of experience. Scott traces his path from corporate HR and international operations to private equity, mergers and acquisitions, and eventually entrepreneurship. Scott explains how HR has evolved from an administrative function into a strategic business partner. For small and midsize companies, that means connecting talent decisions to business goals, building the right organizational structure, and knowing when outsourced expertise can provide support without the cost of a full internal department. We dig into performance management, hiring, and the difficult conversations leaders delay. Scott shares why employees need clear goals and regular one-on-one meetings, how poor performers can damage morale when leaders avoid accountability, and why a vacant or badly filled role creates costs far beyond payroll. You’ll also hear how founders can step out of every major function, prepare high-potential employees for leadership, integrate remote and international teams, and create a culture where communication, positive recognition, training, and defined career paths help good people stay and grow. ## You’ll Learn in This Episode: - How Scott moved from corporate HR and private equity into entrepreneurship - Why HR should operate as a strategic business partner - When a growing company should consider outsourced HR support - How frequent one-on-one meetings eliminate performance surprises - Why delayed accountability damages morale, culture, and retention - How to hire with due diligence without creating an endless process - Why founders should delegate according to the value of their time - How clear expectations help remote and international teams succeed - Why strong individual contributors need preparation before promotion - How communication and people systems determine whether growth can scale ## Quotes “People either live up or they live down to expectations.” “Do your due diligence, and don’t continue to delay it.” “In order to develop and grow people, you’ve got to invest in people.” “The owners, the founders, they’re in their own way. They won’t let go of control.” ## About Scott Hanis Scott Hanis is a seasoned HR executive and business leader with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations align their people strategies with business goals and sustainable growth. Before founding Fortitude HR Solutions, Scott held HR leadership roles with family-owned, international, and private-equity-backed companies. His experience includes recruiting, employee relations, performance management, succession planning, organizational change, mergers and acquisitions, due diligence, and post-acquisition integration. As co-founder of Fortitude HR Solutions, Scott partners with business owners and executive leaders across the United States to design HR structures, recruit talent, strengthen accountability, develop leaders, and implement systems that support measurable results. He has also led HR initiatives for global organizations with more than 1,200 employees. Scott mentors entrepreneurs and executives through the Legacy Family Mastermind and frequently speaks on leadership, organizational structure, high-performing teams, and the people systems businesses need to scale successfully. Connect with Scott Hanis through Fortitude HR Solutions, find him on LinkedIn, or email [scott@fortitudehrsolutions.com](mailto:scott@fortitudehrsolutions.com)   ## Find REI Capital Guys For Investors & the Fund – Learn how the Fund works and book a call For Borrowers & Deals – Get funding and support for your next investment