Episode #638: ScaleUp Club - Seeds, Nets and Spears: Building Predictable Lead Generation
ScaleUp Radio
Growing a business beyond founder-led sales is one of the biggest challenges many SMEs face. In this special ScaleUp Club edition of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined once again by returning guest Dhanushka Tennakoon from RE24 for an interactive Q&A session exploring one of the biggest questions facing growing businesses: How do you create a predictable flow of new opportunities instead of relying on referrals and hope? Alongside the discussion, Kevin also shares this month's AI Pulse update, covering one of the most talked about AI stories of recent weeks and what it means for business...
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Episode #637: ScaleUp Radio Shorts - Why focus beats hustle every time
ScaleUp Radio
Choose Less. Scale Better. Three founders. Three wake up calls. One lesson every business owner needs to hear. What do an authority strategist, a sales leader and an AI entrepreneur have in common? Far more than you might think. In this special edition of ScaleUp Radio Shorts, Kevin Brent and Louise Blunt reflect on three recent conversations with Erica Holthausen, Gulliver Burns and Lee Nazari. Despite completely different industries and experiences, all three arrived at the same conclusion: sustainable growth doesn't come from doing more. It comes from choosing less, focusing better and...
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Episode #636: How Not to Scale: Why Revenue, Ego and Hustle Can Destroy Your Business - with Gulliver Burns
ScaleUp Radio
What happens when you build multiple multi-million-pound businesses... but almost lose yourself in the process? In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by entrepreneur Gulliver Burns, who has experienced both extraordinary growth and devastating setbacks. From building a call centre with over 200 employees before the age of 25 to creating a multi-million-pound automotive business, Gulliver has learned the hard way that scaling without strong foundations comes at a significant cost. Rather than another success story, this conversation is a refreshing look at how not to scale a...
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Episode #635: Can we still trust a CV in the age of AI? - with Lee Nazari
ScaleUp Radio
Artificial Intelligence has made applying for jobs easier than ever. It has also made it much harder for employers to identify the best candidates. In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent speaks with entrepreneur Lee Nazari, founder of Interviewa, a platform using conversational AI and on camera interviews to help recruiters, universities and job seekers cut through the growing noise created by AI generated CVs. Following a life changing personal tragedy, Lee chose to build something with genuine purpose. The result is Interviewa, a business focused on creating fairer, faster and more...
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Episode #634: Why Your Content Isn't Winning Clients and What to Do Instead - with Erica Holthausen
ScaleUp Radio
Most business owners know they should be creating content. Yet many find themselves stuck on a relentless treadmill of blogs, social posts and newsletters that consume huge amounts of time without generating meaningful opportunities. In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Erica Holthausen, founder of Catchline Communications, to challenge one of the biggest assumptions in modern marketing: that more content equals more business. Erica argues that authority doesn't come from publishing more. It comes from having a clear point of view, writing with conviction and building a...
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Episode #633: ScaleUp Radio Shorts: AI, Hidden Costs and Getting Back to Your Zone of Genius
ScaleUp Radio
What do artificial intelligence and cost optimisation have in common? At first glance, not much. But when Kevin Brent and Louise Blunt compare two recent ScaleUp Radio interviews, a clear theme emerges. Whether you're using AI to remove administration or reviewing supplier contracts to eliminate unnecessary costs, the goal is exactly the same: Freeing founders to spend more time doing what only they can do. In this ScaleUp Radio Shorts episode, Kevin and Louise explore the practical lessons from conversations with Julie Begbie, founder of the AI Confidence Club, and Ryan Olson from ERA Group,...
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Episode #632: Using AI to Build a Happier, Smarter Business - with Julie Begbie
ScaleUp Radio
Can AI actually make your business happier? Many business owners hear about AI and immediately think about efficiency, automation or replacing people. Julie Begbie takes a very different view. Her philosophy is simple. AI should remove the work you don't enjoy so you can spend more time doing the work that gives you energy. That creates a happier founder, a better customer experience and ultimately a stronger business. In this episode Julie shares practical ways any SME owner can start using AI without becoming a technology expert, whilst also explaining how to build systems that genuinely...
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Episode #631: The Million-Dollar Donut: How Hidden Costs Are Holding Back Your Growth - with Ryan Olson
ScaleUp Radio
What happens when a successful corporate executive decides he wants more control over his future? After 22 years at Intel, Ryan Olson had built an impressive career leading business development teams, managing global partnerships and helping create a billion-dollar pipeline. But two rounds of corporate layoffs became the catalyst for a very different path. In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Ryan shares how he transitioned from corporate leadership into business ownership through the ERA Group franchise, helping mid-sized businesses uncover hidden costs, improve profitability and free up cash...
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Episode #630: ScaleUp Radio Shorts - Humaning, Tech, and True Focus: Lessons from Melissa Thornley and Vicki Ayton
ScaleUp Radio
In this edition of ScaleUp Radio Shorts, Kevin Brent and Louise Blunt reflect on two fascinating conversations with leadership expert Melissa Thornley and social entrepreneur Vicki Ayton. Although their businesses couldn't be more different, both guests arrive at remarkably similar conclusions. Sustainable growth isn't driven by working harder or adopting the latest technology. It's built by developing better leaders, creating resilient teams, maintaining genuine human connection, and focusing attention on what matters most. From emotional intelligence and feedback cultures to AI, climate...
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Episode #629: Why Resilience is the Missing Link in Accountability - with Melissa Thornley
ScaleUp Radio
ScaleUp Radio Show Notes Melissa Thornley: Why Resilience is the Missing Link in Accountability What if the reason accountability isn't sticking in your business has nothing to do with performance management and everything to do with resilience? In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Melissa Thornley, leadership coach, consultant and founder of Melissa Thornley Consulting. Melissa works with leaders operating in high-stakes environments including emergency services, government agencies, manufacturing, construction and technology businesses. Her mission is simple but...
info_outlineAll the best ideas start over coffee at a coffee shop or maybe over a beer in the pub. And this is no exception.
Today I talk with Jane James who is the founder of Little Voices and they're a national award winning, franchised organisation that helps children to be the very best that they can and bring out the best in them through drama and singing.
In this conversation you won’t fail to notice how passionate the Jane is about her business. But like us all she's been through various ups and downs along the way.
Little Voices is all about empowering children to find their voice to succeed in life. So it's through music and drama, but it's much more than just about the music and drama itself.
We discuss all sorts of aspects around franchising why it might be a good thing to consider as a route to scaling, but we also discuss some of the challenges that Jane has had along her way - including the fact that Jane originally co founded the business with a partner, and they had a business divorce later on.
So lots of great learnings throughout this regardless of whether you're thinking about franchising or not. So let's go across to Jane and hear the rest of her story.
We spoke about franchising being a consideration in strategic planning for scaling up. If you’d like some tangible actions around developing a scalable business model, you might like to take our free 20 question strategy checker https://strategicthinking.scoreapp.com
Jane can be found here:
Resources:
Diary of a CEO - https://stevenbartlett.com/the-diary-of-a-ceo-podcast/
The Mid-Point with Gabby Logan - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-mid-point-with-gabby-logan/id1527545442
The School Run with Jane & Liv - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theschoolrun
Gmail - https://mail.google.com/
Google Tasks - https://support.google.com/tasks/answer/7675772?hl=en&ref_topic=7675628&sjid=5643080918397018839-EU
Google Drive - https://www.google.com/drive/
Xero - https://login.xero.com/
Trello - https://trello.com/