In this episode of The Scaling Shift, Kenneth Fields and Johannes Mutzke of BlueInc Strategies sit down with Mell Proffitt and Stacey Doherty, co-founders of PRODOH, an outdoor clothing brand built for adventurous kids. From a family idea to a fast-growing brand, Mell and Stacey share the real story of scaling — early hiring decisions, building systems under pressure, defining co-founder roles, and protecting what matters most at home.
With insights from BlueInc Strategies, this conversation tackles the parent / founder paradox head-on: how do you grow a business without losing your seat at the dinner table?
In this episode: Scaling a Business · The Need for Hiring · Building Processes · Co-Founder Dynamics · Work-Life Balance · Finding a North Star · Explore the Tension of Work and Life Balance.
BlueInc Strategies:
BlueInc Strategies | Empowering Growth & Innovation
BlueInc Strategies, LLC: Overview | LinkedIn
BlueInc Strategies - YouTube
BlueInc Strategies Newsletter
PRODOH:
PRODOH: Instagram
PRODOH: Overview | LinkedIn
PRODOH | Kids, Toddler & Youth Performance Outdoor Clothing
Full Transcript:
Chapters:
00:00 — Welcome to The Scaling Shift: the show for founders in the middle of growth they never expected
00:46 — Why scaling feels messy: when growth outpaces your systems
02:03 — PRODOH’s origin story: building an outdoor brand designed to scale
08:43 — Why PRODOH hired finance before marketing
10:18 — How founders know it’s time to hire
11:44 — When your team grows faster than your processes
13:17 — Why every scaling business needs a North Star
15:43 — Four years as co‑founders: what Mell & Stacy have learned
18:15 — The founder trap: holding onto customer service too long
19:00 — Work‑life balance for founders: myth or reality
25:04 — How complementary strengths create stronger co‑founder partnerships
27:18 — The Tension of Scaling a Business and Marriage
29:16 — Key takeaway: Scaling is never a straight line
