Episode #622: ScaleUp Shorts: The Founder Psychology Behind Better Decisions, Better Teams and Better Growth
Release Date: 06/26/2026
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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,...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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_outlineThis episode is created using AI
What do a wine entrepreneur, a decision-science expert, and an occupational psychologist have in common?
More than you might think.
In this episode of ScaleUp Radio Shorts, Kevin Brent and Louise Blunt revisit three fascinating conversations with Jamie Smith of EcoSip, Dr Magda Du Preez of GetSense.net, and Tameron Chappell of athinka. Together, they uncover a common theme that sits at the heart of so many scaling challenges: founder psychology.
From letting go of the superhero mindset to building decision-making guardrails and avoiding emotionally-driven mistakes, this episode explores the habits, behaviours and systems that allow founders to scale successfully without becoming the bottleneck.
In This Episode
Why founders must retire the superhero cape
Tameron Chappell explains why no founder can continue doing everything as their business grows. Scaling requires self-awareness, delegation and recognising when someone else may be better suited to a role than you are.
The dangers of hiring purely on experience
A strong CV is not enough.
Tameron shares why personality fit, team dynamics and behavioural understanding are often more important than technical expertise when building high-performing teams.
Jamie Smith's journey from kitchen table startup to scaling manufacturer
Jamie Smith shares how EcoSip evolved from hand-packing wine pouches at home to producing millions of units. Along the way, he learned the importance of bringing in specialist expertise and focusing on what he does best.
How emotions distort business decisions
Dr Magda Du Preez reveals how emotions influence decision-making in as little as eight milliseconds.
Whether it's excitement, anger or sadness, every emotion creates predictable biases that can affect hiring, investment and growth decisions.
Why excitement can be the most dangerous emotion for entrepreneurs
While enthusiasm drives innovation, excessive excitement can lead to overconfidence, poor judgement and costly mistakes.
Jamie's experience with handshake agreements and failed growth opportunities highlights the risks of making decisions without proper safeguards.
Building decision-making guardrails
Magda introduces the concept of decision rules. These simple, contextual guardrails help teams make decisions confidently while reducing the risk of emotional bias.
Rather than constantly seeking founder approval, teams can move faster because they understand the boundaries.
Practical tools to improve decision-making
The discussion includes several practical frameworks founders can use immediately:
- The FIRE Method: Feel, Inspect, Respond, Don't React
- The 10-10-10 Framework: Consider consequences in 10 minutes, 10 months and 10 years
- Identifying whether a decision is reversible before acting
- Creating peer groups that challenge thinking and expose blind spots
AI as a thinking partner, not a replacement
Both Magda and Tameron discuss how AI can support founders as a thinking partner while warning against becoming overly dependent on automated outputs.
The best leaders use AI to enhance their thinking rather than replace it.
Key Takeaways
- Scaling requires founders to let go of the belief they must do everything themselves.
- Team fit matters as much as technical capability when hiring.
- Emotional biases influence business decisions more than most leaders realise.
- Decision rules create confidence, autonomy and consistency across teams.
- Peer groups provide critical external perspectives that reduce blind spots.
- AI is most valuable when it supports human judgement rather than replacing it.
One Standout Message
"Guardrails create freedom. When teams understand the boundaries, they can make better decisions without waiting for permission."
The One Key Thing
The founders who scale most successfully are not the ones who work harder or make faster decisions. They are the ones who build systems, guardrails and teams that allow good decisions to happen consistently without relying on themselves.
About Smart90
Most founders I speak to feel busy but stuck; plenty happening, but not always clear on what genuinely matters most this quarter.
If that's you, the G90 Summit is worth a look. 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.
Quarterly, virtual, £97 a seat.
Find out more at Smart90.co.uk/summit