Episode #494 - ScaleUp Club Exclusive: Building Habits and Processes - with Craig Hellen of Bexmedia
ScaleUp Radio
In this exclusive ScaleUp Club edition of ScaleUp Radio, we’re joined by Craig Hellen, founder of Bexmedia, a video and motion graphics agency with nearly two decades of experience. This intimate discussion explores how Craig has implemented processes and built habits that help a small, creative team stay aligned, accountable, and productive – all while preserving a strong company culture. What You’ll Learn: How building consistent internal systems (like naming conventions and structured meetings) can improve clarity and alignment across the business. Why clearly communicating the...
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Episode #493 - Smart Growth with Smart Lockers – with Ryan Slaney
ScaleUp Radio
Hi there and welcome back to another edition of ScaleUp Radio, the podcast brought to you by Smart90, inspired by the Entrepreneurial ScaleUp System and designed to make navigating our ScaleUp journeys that little bit easier by learning from others' experiences. I’m Kevin Brent, and in today's episode, I’m joined by Ryan Slaney, Founder and Managing Director of iLockerz – a business that’s leading the way in smart locker solutions for a wide range of industries. Our conversation today is structured in three parts: First, we take a look at iLockerz as a business, including its smart...
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Episode #492 - Turning Passion into Luxury - with Karen Yates
ScaleUp Radio
Hi there, and welcome back to another edition of ScaleUp Radio, the podcast inspired by the Entrepreneurial ScaleUp System and designed to make navigating our scaleup journeys a little bit easier by learning from others' experiences. I’m Kevin Brent, and in today's episode, I’m joined by Karen Yates, founder of Taylor Yates, a luxury handbag and accessories brand based in the UK. Our conversation today is structured in three parts: We start by discussing the business itself, its model, and where it is on the scaleup journey. We then explore Karen’s perspectives on the challenges of...
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Episode #491 - Brand Like a Jedi, Lead Like a Human and Why Purpose-Driven Companies Attract Loyal Teams and Clients - with Darrell Irwin
ScaleUp Radio
Hi, I’m Granger Forson – find me at or connect on LinkedIn – and in this episode of ScaleUp Radio, I talk with Darrell Irwin, the visionary founder behind Cre8ion, Digital, and Humans. Darrell’s story isn’t just about scaling multiple businesses – it’s about scaling with meaning. From walking away from a lucrative agency deal over ethical misalignment to founding Cre8ion, a brand marketing agency rooted in purpose, Darrell shows us what it looks like when personal values shape business success. We explore how he built a tight-knit team through a...
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Episode #490 - Reignite Your Creativity and Build a Beautiful Business from Fabric and Focus - with Alice Garrett
ScaleUp Radio
Hi, I’m Granger Forson – you can find me at or connect with me on LinkedIn. In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, I’m joined by the inspiring Alice Garrett, founder of Alice Caroline, a business built around the joyful art of quilting, Liberty Fabrics, and empowering creativity. What began as a desire to make Liberty Fabric more accessible to fellow enthusiasts has grown into a thriving enterprise with 34 staff, global reach, and over 700 fabrics curated for quilters, makers, and creatives. Alice’s story is not just about fabric – it’s about passion, purpose, and...
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Episode #489 - Empowering Women Through Craft, with Resilience and Perseverance - with Sheila Ako
ScaleUp Radio
In this inspiring episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Sheila Ako Glavee, the founder of Skilled Hands Organisation, a remarkable social enterprise dedicated to empowering women and children through craft workshops. From humble beginnings in Ghana to establishing a recognised organisation in the UK, Sheila shares her journey of resilience, innovation, and community impact. Sheila recounts how her entrepreneurial path evolved — from publishing a lifestyle magazine in Ghana to creating social enterprises that uplift vulnerable communities. Skilled Hands started with a focus on...
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Episode #488 - Scaling a Business with Stories, Strategy, and Heart - with Ben Lowndes
ScaleUp Radio
Hi, I’m Granger Forson — you can find me at or connect with me on LinkedIn. Welcome to another inspiring episode of ScaleUp Radio! In this episode, I’m joined by Ben Lowndes, founder of Distinctive Communications, a fast-growing, purpose-led PR and communications consultancy based in the South West. Ben shares his unique journey — leaving a successful career without a set plan, building a business grounded in trust, flexibility, and impact. We explore how Distinctive Communications stands out in a noisy world by telling powerful, human-cantered...
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Episode #487 - Building a Brand with Trust, Numbers and a Fractional FD Model with lessons from Tectona’s Journey - with Mark Nicholls
ScaleUp Radio
Hi, I’m Granger Forson – you can find me at or connect with me on LinkedIn. In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, I sit down with Mark Nicholls, the founder of Tectona Partnership – a business that provides part-time Finance Director services to companies navigating financial complexity. Mark’s story is one of perseverance, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of what it takes to build trust and a brand in a competitive market. Starting with just two people in 2012, Tectona has grown into a team of 17 highly qualified FDs, supporting businesses under £20m...
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Episode #486 - Balancing Growth, Culture, and Family in ISO Quality Services - with Jennifer Appleton
ScaleUp Radio
In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent sits down with Jennifer Appleton, the dynamic Director behind ISO Quality Services, a Worcester-based business that's been helping companies achieve ISO certifications for over two decades. Jennifer shares the story of how this family business has scaled from a local consultancy to a global service provider, supporting clients in over 28 countries. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 🔹 The Business Model: ISO Quality Services thrives on a hybrid revenue model combining upfront implementation fees with a recurring client maintenance...
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Episode #485 - Aligning Business With Values, To Create A Winning Marketplace - with Lorraine Allman
ScaleUp Radio
On this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Lorraine Allman, a purpose-driven entrepreneur and the founder of Party Without Plastic – a marketplace for sustainable, plastic-free party supplies that launched in spring 2024 and is already on an exciting growth trajectory. Lorraine brings a wealth of experience to the conversation, having built and scaled multiple ventures. In this insightful and honest discussion, she shares the highs and lows of her journey so far, from funding challenges to transitioning from founder-led to team-based operations, all while keeping a firm eye...
info_outlineOn this week’s episode of ScaleUp Radio we are bringing you another presentation from the ScaleUp Club Meeting.
If you’ve listened to any of the previous presentations that we’ve delivered you’ll know the large amount of value and advice in each one.
Here's a couple of links to previous presentations:
Action Planning -
https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/scaleupradio/Action_Planning.mp3
Roles & Accountability -
https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/scaleupradio/Roles__Accountability.mp3
Each presentation that we’ve done has dealt with a different aspect of running a business - and this episode is looking at core ideology, in particular the values and purpose.
As always, there is plenty of ground covered in this episode, including:
- Why having a core ideology is important, what are the benefits to you and your team
- What should it look like; how long should it be, how many sentences should it have?
- How you can apply your core ideology, and how you can adapt it from one industry, or department, to another.
You’ll also hear from a couple of business owners, who will give their own insights. So, we have:
David Lynes - Unique IQ
Clare Vale - Sign Solutions
Also, there is also panel discussion with a group of business owners who discuss their own core ideologies.
During the presentation, I mention a couple of slides that were visible to the people in the meeting. Don’t worry, you’re not missing out on anything by not being able to see them - but if you would like a copy of the slides, get in touch [email protected]
As always, there is a lot of takeaways in this episode. I’m sure you’ll find something that will either help you create your core ideology, or check that your working in the best way for your business.
David Lynes can be found here:
Clare Vale can be found here:
linkedin.com/in/clare-vale-6032b416
https://www.signsolutions.uk.com/
ScaleUp Radio cannot be held responsible for the content of third party websites
Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for.
You can get in touch with Kevin here: