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What does it take to build a business that can succeed without you?
On this episode of Bold Enough, Madeline McCrae sits down with Bill McDevitt, small business and leadership coach and founder of Top of the World Coaching, to explore leadership, personal growth, succession, and the deeper meaning of building a lasting legacy.
Bill spent nearly three decades with McDonald’s before making the transition from corporate America into entrepreneurship. Along the way, he discovered a leadership principle that would shape much of his work: teach people what you know, then have them teach someone else.
That philosophy helped Bill understand the importance of developing people rather than making yourself indispensable. As he explains, if an owner is the business, it becomes difficult to build transferable value or eventually step away from it.
Bill also shares his “Three Ps” philosophy: people, performance, and profit. His approach starts with getting the right people, training and coaching them well, and creating an environment where strong performance can naturally lead to stronger results.
The conversation takes a personal turn as Bill shares the story of losing his wife to breast cancer and how honoring a promise they made together ultimately influenced his decision to leave corporate America and launch his coaching business.
He also reflects on a lesson he learned as a 12-year-old paperboy, when taking responsibility for a broken window taught him about honesty, accountability, collaboration, and the lasting impact of doing the right thing.
Bill and Madeline explore:
Why being indispensable can actually hold a leader back
How training your replacement creates stronger organizations
Why business owners need to build systems beyond themselves
The connection between people, performance, and profit
How honesty and accountability shape lasting relationships
Why empathy, flexibility, and self-awareness matter in leadership
How difficult experiences can influence the direction of your life
What it really means to build a meaningful legacy
At the heart of this conversation is a powerful question: What will people say about you when you're not in the room, and what will they say when you're no longer around?
This is a conversation about building something that lasts, empowering others to grow, and creating a legacy that extends far beyond the business itself.
Bill McDevitt
Top of the World Coaching - https://totwcoaching.com/
Email - bmcdevitt@totwcoaching.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/billmcdevitt-top-of-the-world-coaching
Madeleine MacRae
Website - https://mmmacrae.com/making-changes-training-motivating/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/macraemadeleine
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/madeleine.macrae/
Book – The Tenacious Pursuit of Peace: Where to Go When Success Isn’t Enough
