Margins and Mandates
Join Jeff Lortz as he explores the critical balance between
profitability and growth mandates. Each episode delivers frameworks,
insights, and real-world strategies from leaders who've
navigated high-stakes business challenges.
AO GROWTH ADVISORS
The podcast where strategy meets execution for ambitious operators
Featured Conversations for Operators
Start with practical conversations on growth, leadership, AI and execution under pressure.
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Explore every episode on Spotify—insights for leaders navigating growth, pressure and performance.
Margins and Mandates explores how business leaders build resilient, high-performing organizations in demanding markets. Hosted by Jeff Lortz — an experienced CEO, operator, and founder of the Agile Operator playbook — each episode features candid conversations about the strategies, challenges, and decisions that define real leadership. If you’re an executive, founder, or senior operator driving growth and results, this is your playbook for leading under pressure.
What if the best way to grow a business… is to stop chasing growth?
In this episode, Jeff sits down with Jason Sgro, CEO of The Atom Group, a cybersecurity and software firm serving public sector and critical infrastructure across New England. Jason has built a highly profitable, referral-driven business with no sales team, no marketing engine, and no ambition to scale beyond what the business—and the people inside it—can sustain.
They explore why specialization beats competition, how trust becomes a growth engine, and what AI means for the future of professional services. Along the way, Jason shares a different model for building a company—one focused on durability, discipline, and long-term relationships over speed and scale.
Watch the Conversation
See the leaders, operators and strategic conversations behind every episode.