Episode #606: ScaleUp Shorts - Fear, Focus & the Founder Trap - What Jacqueline Wales and Jules Herd reveal about scaling without losing control
Release Date: 05/15/2026
Episode #638: ScaleUp Club - Seeds, Nets and Spears: Building Predictable Lead Generation
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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 #635: Can we still trust a CV in the age of AI? - with Lee Nazari
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Episode #634: Why Your Content Isn't Winning Clients and What to Do Instead - with Erica Holthausen
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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 #632: Using AI to Build a Happier, Smarter Business - with Julie Begbie
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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
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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_outlineIn this episode of ScaleUp Radio Shorts, Kevin Brent and Louise Blunt unpack the powerful overlap between mindset and operational scale-up challenges through insights from two exceptional guests: Jacqueline Wales and Jules Herd.
While Jules Herd brings practical expertise from the world of strategic communications and scaling technology businesses, Jacqueline Wales explores the deeper psychological patterns that often hold founders back.
Together, their lessons reveal a critical truth: many operational bottlenecks are actually rooted in fear, control, and limiting beliefs.
This episode explores:
- Why founders struggle to delegate effectively
- The difference between building a scalable business and creating a stressful job
- How fear of loss and fear of inadequacy affect leadership decisions
- Why “calculated risk” is essential for sustainable growth
- The dangers of promoting loyalty over capability
- Creating psychological safety within leadership teams
- Why clarity of audience and positioning matters more than ever
- The hidden link between mindset and operational execution
One standout message from the discussion:
“What got you here won’t get you there.”
Kevin and Louise also discuss:
- Jules Herd’s decision to move manufacturing from China to the UK to protect quality and supply chain resilience
- Jacqueline Wales’ FEAR framework: Face it, Explore it, Act, and Rise
- The importance of hiring true experts as businesses scale
- Why founders must challenge their own assumptions and comfort zones
- The role of communication, trust, and self-awareness in building high-performing teams
Key Takeaway
The one key thing:
Many scale-up problems that look operational on the surface are actually psychological underneath. Better strategy starts with better self-awareness.
About the Guests
Jacqueline Wales is an internationally recognised coach, speaker, and author specialising in Fear Intelligence and leadership transformation.
Jules Herd is the founder of strategic communications agency Five in a Boat and host of On the Edge. She advises scaling businesses on communications, positioning, and operational growth strategy.
Smart90 Mention
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A structured half-day where we work through everything competing for your attention, get clear on the three to five things that must happen in the next 90 days, then commit to them and build the system to make sure they actually happen.
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Smart90 Summit
Production Note
This episode of ScaleUp Radio Shorts was produced with the aid of AI to support research, structure, and content development.
Listen to the full episodes featuring Jacqueline Wales and Jules Herd on ScaleUp Radio wherever you get your podcasts.