Welcome to Future Proof in 5 by Marco Grüter
Future-Proof in 5 is the daily 5-minute podcast for founders and CEOs who want to build companies that last – not just grow.
Each episode delivers sharp, actionable insights on how to make your business more durable, transferable, and valuable – the three pillars of a Future-Proof Business™.
No fluff. No endless interviews. Just focused reflections that help you rethink how you lead, scale, and design a company that thrives without you.
Hosted by Marco Grüter, entrepreneur, investor, and creator of the Future-Proof Business System, this show blends strategy, systems, and mindset for the modern founder who wants freedom and legacy.
121 - Legacy or Mess: Which One Are You Leaving Behind?
This episode explores how to build a business that outlives you. Without systems, governance, and resilience, your team inherits chaos, not value. Discover the mindset and structure necessary to create a lasting legacy.
120 - Are You Chasing Size or Building Survival?
Many founders focus on growth but ignore resilience. This episode examines the risks associated with scaling fragile systems and offers guidance on building a company that can withstand disruption and thrive in the long term.
119 - Would the Buyer Pay Full Price for Your Company Today?
Most founders lose up to 50% of company value at exit due to hidden risks, not revenue. This episode reveals how client dependency, weak governance, and founder overreliance drive down buyer offers and how to address these issues.
118 - Could Your Company Pass the Six-Month Founder Test?
Can your business run without you for six months? This episode introduces the six-month founder test, a clear lens to evaluate dependency risk, leadership gaps, and scalability readiness for serious entrepreneurs.
117 - Where is the First Crack in Your Company?
Businesses don’t fail from external disruption; they fail because internal weaknesses were ignored. This episode shows how to identify the first structural cracks in your business before they break you.
116 - Scaling readiness assessment
Scaling without readiness creates risk. This episode unpacks a 12-point Scaling Readiness Assessment, helping founders audit operations, financials, team, and strategy to eliminate risk and prepare for sustainable growth.
115 - Exit & Investment Readiness Scorecard
Valuation isn’t won at the negotiation table, it’s built in advance. This episode introduces the Exit & Investment Readiness Scorecard, a powerful audit tool to de-risk your business and prepare for a premium exit or funding round.
114 - Clarity Beats Hustle
Hustle without direction is wasted effort. This episode explains how clarity drives compounding growth, why alignment beats activity, and how to reset your focus using your freedom number and strategic roadmap.
113 - Most Businesses Aren’t Ready to Sell. Are You?
Most founders overestimate how ready their business is to sell. This episode explains why sellability must be built years in advance and outlines what makes a company valuable, transferable, and ready for acquisition.
112 - Succession Isn’t a Handover, It’s a Trust Transfer
Succession fails when it focuses on roles instead of trust. This episode reframes succession as a strategic trust transfer, highlighting why credibility, continuity, and timing define long-term business success.
111 - The CEO Time Audit
Most CEOs are unaware of how they spend their time or what it’s truly worth. This episode introduces the CEO Time Audit: a simple tool to track time, classify task value, and refocus energy on high-leverage growth work.
110 - Talent Multiplies Time
True scale requires team ownership. This episode breaks down why investing in talent is the key to multiplying time, how to shift from task management to outcome ownership, and how to create space for leadership to emerge.
109 - What Happens If You Can’t Come Back to Your Business Tomorrow or Ever?
What if you couldn’t return to your business tomorrow? Most owners don’t have a succession plan. This episode breaks down how to protect your legacy, your people, and your business by planning ahead, rather than being forced to.
108 - The Painful Truth About Founder-Dependent Companies
Many founder-led businesses look successful but collapse when it’s time to sell. This episode exposes the hidden trap of being indispensable and outlines what makes a company sellable from day one.
107 - Key Person Risk
Key person risk can quietly destroy your business value and legacy. Learn how to remove dependency on a single founder and create a business that’s sustainable, transferable, and built to last.
106 - Consistency Wins Over Complexity
Most business owners lack a plan for what happens when they step away. This episode breaks down the real cost of complexity and shows how consistency creates scalable, resilient businesses.
105 - What Exactly Is the CEO Time Reboot?
Discover the CEO Time Reboot: a simple, proven system to track, analyse, and reclaim your time as a founder. Learn how to spot bottlenecks and free up hours for high-leverage growth work without losing momentum.
104 - How My Clients Win Back Time and Build Scale
Discover how one founder reclaimed 20 hours a week without losing growth. Learn how a simple time audit, delegation, and systems can help you scale smarter and stress less.
103 -The $10K / hour Test
Discover the €10K/hour test for founders and CEOs. Learn how to identify high-leverage work, break free from low-value tasks, and focus on activities that drive strategic growth and scale.
102 - The Hidden Cost of Working In the Business
Many founders hit 5M in revenue but stay stuck in the weeds. This episode exposes the true cost of working in the business instead of on it and how to measure your time to unlock scalable growth and freedom.