Episode #423 - Scaling a Sports Academy with Passion and Purpose - with Reece Elbourn of Let's Leap Sports Academy
Release Date: 10/21/2024
Episode #567 - Rocket Science vs Business Rates - Scaling Lessons from Both Worlds
ScaleUp Radio
In this special edition of ScaleUp Radio Shorts, Kevin Brent and Granger Forson dive into two recent interviews that couldn’t be more different on the surface; but reveal some remarkably similar lessons underneath. On one side, we have Aqeel Shamsul, founder of cutting-edge space biotech startup Frontier Space, turning microgravity into a drug development advantage. On the other, Tom Perry and Ella Chapman from Holloway Bond, redefining the approach to business rates recovery through data-led outreach and customer-first practices. From rocket science to rateable values, this episode is a...
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Episode #566 - Why Doing Things Differently with approaching Business Rates Helped This Young Business Scale Without Losing Control - with Tom Perry & Ella Chapman
ScaleUp Radio
Granger Forson here from and on LinkedIn, and in this episode of ScaleUp Radio I’m joined by Tom Perry and Ella Chapman, founders of Holloway Bond. In just three years, Tom and Ella have quietly built a specialist business that champions companies who are unknowingly overpaying business rates. Rather than chasing every prospect, Holloway Bond flips the model on its head by using data to proactively identify who they can truly help, before ever picking up the phone. What stands out immediately is their integrity. Operating on a no-win-no-fee basis, they only take on...
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Episode #565 - Unlocking Drug Discovery in Space - with Aqeel Shamsul of Frontier Space
ScaleUp Radio
What if the future of drug discovery isn’t on Earth? In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Aqeel Shamsul, the visionary CEO and co-founder of Frontier Space, a UK-based space biotech company developing shoebox-sized biolabs to unlock the power of microgravity for pharmaceutical R&D. Spun out of Aqeel’s PhD at Cranfield University, Frontier Space is on a mission to make in-space research and biomanufacturing accessible, affordable, and impactful, and they’ve already achieved what few startups can: bootstrapping two space missions and securing over £1.3M in...
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Episode #564 - From water tech to rewards apps - what scaling really takes
ScaleUp Radio
In this ScaleUp Radio Shorts episode, Kevin Brent and Granger Forson compare the fascinating journeys of two recent guests: Samantha Mant, founder of Halcyan Water, and Sarah O’Neill, founder of The Cotswold Collective. While their businesses couldn’t be more different, one focused on water sustainability and the other on community-driven rewards, what unites both founders is their deep sense of mission and their ability to scale with authenticity. The conversation dives into: Why they started: One sparked by environmental impact, the other from a need for community. Marketing with heart...
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Episode #563 - Turning Isolation into Growing A Collective That Transforms Local Shopping Into Shared Purpose - with Sarah O'Neill
ScaleUp Radio
Find me, Granger Forson, at or on LinkedIn. Sarah O’Neill’s journey began with a simple, heartfelt need: to feel part of a community again. What started as a personal response to the isolation of lockdowns grew into Cotswold Collective, a thriving rewards-based membership platform dedicated to supporting local businesses and bringing people together. Her background in marketing and events became the spark that helped transform a difficult season of life into something meaningful for thousands of others. In our conversation, Sarah shares the early days of the...
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Episode #562 - Making Water Behave, Saving Energy And Scaling A Mission That Matters - with Samantha Mant
ScaleUp Radio
Welcome to another inspiring episode with me, Granger Forson find me at or on as I sit down with Samantha Mant, CEO and Founder of Halcyan Water, a business transforming the way homes and companies manage hard water and energy efficiency. Samantha’s journey began in the world of beautiful bathroom design, where she repeatedly saw installations deteriorate in just months. Instead of accepting that frustration, she experimented. She searched globally, discovered a technology that could turn badly behaved hard water into nicely behaved hard water, and...
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Episode #561 - The Power of Saying 'No'
ScaleUp Radio
This week on ScaleUp Radio Shorts, Kevin and Granger dive into two powerful conversations from recent episodes, with leaders who’ve scaled very different businesses, but who share strikingly similar philosophies. 👉 Hugh Taylor took Roadnight Taylor from burnout to brilliance by radically niching down, cutting 80% of his client base and doubling fees through a bold auction model. 👉 Michael Yorke of Prime dcm discovered the sweet spot in not trying to grow too big, instead focusing on lean, trust-led delivery with full transparency and hands-on leadership. Here’s what you’ll learn in...
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Episode #560 - How Radical Focus Transformed a Struggling Consultancy into a Global Leader - with Hugh Taylor
ScaleUp Radio
I’m Granger Forson and you’ll find me at or on . In this inspiring episode of ScaleUp Radio, I’m joined by Hugh Taylor, CEO of Roadnight Taylor. His story is a masterclass in transformation, determination, and the power of experimentation. Hugh shares the remarkable journey behind Roadnight Taylor’s shift from a struggling generalist consultancy to a globally respected Independent Specialist Grid Consultancy, now recognised in the top 0.1 percent worldwide for client value perception and enjoying 100 percent team retention over six...
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Episode #559 - Building Trust Not Tension by Changing Construction Through Openness and Real Financial Clarity - with Michael Yorke
ScaleUp Radio
Welcome to another episode of ScaleUp Radio with me, Granger Forson. You can connect with me at or find me on anytime. Today I’m joined by Michael Yorke, co founder of Prime DCM, a construction and development business based just outside Gloucester. Michael’s journey is a powerful example of what happens when you challenge industry norms and build a company rooted in openness, respect and genuine partnership with clients. Starting just one month before the 2020 lockdown, Michael and his business partner James shaped Prime DCM around an open...
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Episode #558 - From Unicorn Ambition to Creative Freedom – Lessons from Two ScaleUp Journeys
ScaleUp Radio
In this episode of ScaleUp Radio Shorts, hosts Kevin Brent and Granger Forson dive into the powerful contrast and surprising common ground between two visionary founders: Lilia Stoyanov, CFO and Founder of HR-tech and fintech platform TFY, and Virtyt Pula, Creative Lead of boutique creative collective TOML. Though their sectors, business models, and goals couldn’t be more different, both leaders share an innovative approach to building remote-first, talent-led organisations that challenge conventional ideas about scaling. 🔑 In this episode, you'll learn: How Lilia scaled TFY to...
info_outlineIn this episode of ScaleUp Radio, we dive into the journey of Reece Elbourn, co-founder of Let's Leap Sports Academy, a business providing vital services like holiday camps, PE teachers, and wraparound care to schools across the UK. Since its inception in 2019, Let's Leap has grown from working with a single school to now partnering with over 30 schools nationally, employing more than 100 staff during peak periods.
Reece takes us through the challenges of scaling a company in the education and sports industry, including:
- How they’ve built a rigorous hiring process to ensure quality staff and maintain a strong company culture.
- The importance of managing cash flow while constantly reinvesting in the business to fuel growth.
- The power of word-of-mouth marketing and delivering consistently excellent services, resulting in 10 successful Ofsted inspections and an award for outstanding services to children.
Other key insights from Reece include how Let's Leap focuses on quality over quantity, maintaining a commitment to delivering unique, high-quality experiences for children, such as activities like jet skiing and go-karts, and ensuring the wellbeing of their staff through regular training and mentorship.
Whether you're in the education sector or scaling your own business, Reece's insights on leadership, recruitment, and financial management will resonate with any entrepreneur.
Make sure you don’t miss any future episodes by subscribing to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts.
For now, continue listening for the full story from Reece.
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.
If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here:
https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin
You can get in touch with Kevin here:
**Kevin's Latest Book Is Available!**
Drawing on BizSmart’s own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-brent-valuebuilder) explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up.
More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/
Reece can be found here:
https://www.letsleapsportsacademy.co.uk/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/reeceelbourn/
Resources:
Gary Vee podcast - https://garyvaynerchuk.com/podcast/
Patrick Bet David podcast - https://www.patrickbetdavid.com/pbd-podcast/
Diary of a CEO podcast - https://stevenbartlett.com/doac/
The CEO Cast - https://open.spotify.com/show/2HU7OJ8qn0cSEU7Ok334Pn?si=0715cbf574e34595