Phillip Simpson

Phillip Simpson – How Entrepreneurs Can Balance Ambition, Focus, and Purpose

Phillip Simpson is the CEO of SFM Services, a family of companies that helps schools, churches, and other mission-driven organizations clean, maintain, and secure their facilities. He leads the company’s growth, culture, and operations while developing teams that deliver dependable, high-quality work. A West Point graduate, former Army infantry officer, and an elite wrestler who trained for the Olympics, Phillip has experience in leadership, discipline, talent development, and building organizations around clear values.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn

[2:09] Phillip Simpson’s path from West Point and the Army to training as an elite wrestler for the Olympics
[3:18] How competing priorities reshaped Phillip’s identity, ambitions, and commitment to family
[9:21] Leadership lessons in empathy, motivation, high standards, and understanding individual strengths
[13:30] Phillip’s approach to pursuing business ownership and partnering with SFM Services
[19:03] The role of disciplined focus, strategic restraint, and saying no in sustainable growth
[24:25] How EO shaped Phillip’s leadership through transparency, humility, curiosity, and shared experiences
[28:02] Phillip’s vision for expanding SFM while protecting family priorities and personal values

In This Episode

Building a meaningful career often requires choosing between competing definitions of success. Strong leadership also depends on knowing when to pursue an opportunity, when to step back, and how to protect the values that matter most. How can entrepreneurs grow with ambition without losing focus, authenticity, or balance?

Leadership and operations expert Phillip Simpson answers that question through disciplined priorities and intentional decision-making. He recommends choosing environments where trusted people will invest in your potential, recognizing that different employees require different forms of motivation, and resisting opportunities that distract from core strengths. Phillip also emphasizes identifying where you can excel rather than trying to master everything, creating conditions for people to perform meaningful work, and treating vulnerability as a tool for growth.

In this episode of The Decision, Robert Hartline talks with Phillip Simpson, CEO of SFM Services, about making difficult choices while building a values-driven business. Phillip explains how military and athletic experiences shaped his leadership style, why entrepreneurs must learn to say no, and how a strong culture helps people thrive. He also offers lessons on mentorship, vulnerability, and balancing growth with family.

Quotable Moments:

“I would really love to just… have my hands in something and run something the way I see it.”
“I think I have a really unique ability at seeing potential in people.”
“And so one of the things I learned was… you couldn’t be great at everything.”
“Just get in somewhere where you trust the people, and you know that you’re going to have good people watching out for you and invest in you.”
“And so if you can create the conditions and the place for them to… do good quality work, they’re great employees.”

Action Steps:

Choose environments that invest in your growth: Working with trustworthy mentors and supportive leaders creates opportunities to learn, develop confidence, and discover where you can contribute most.
Adapt your leadership style to each person: Listening carefully and understanding individual motivations helps leaders challenge employees appropriately and bring out their best work.
Protect your focus by saying no: Turning down attractive distractions preserves the time, energy, and resources needed to execute core priorities well.
Look for potential beyond credentials: Recognizing people’s strengths and placing them in roles where they can succeed builds stronger teams and improves retention.
Balance growth with personal values: Setting ambitions around family responsibilities and long-term priorities helps entrepreneurs expand without sacrificing what matters most.