Episode #637: ScaleUp Radio Shorts - Why focus beats hustle every time
Release Date: 08/07/2026
Episode #641: From Founder Led to Systems Led: Building a Business That Can Scale Without You - with Jake Young
ScaleUp Radio
What makes a business genuinely valuable? For many founders the answer isn't more customers, more turnover or even more profit. It's creating a business that can thrive without depending on them every single day. In this episode Kevin Brent is joined by entrepreneur, investor and business strategist Jake Young to explore why founder dependency is one of the biggest barriers to sustainable growth and successful exits. Jake shares the frameworks he uses with businesses ranging from ambitious SMEs through to organisations preparing for institutional investment and IPOs. From defining your end...
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Episode #640: Why smart leaders still make bad strategic decisions - with David Mansfield
ScaleUp Radio
Making decisions as a founder or leader is rarely about having perfect information. In this episode, Kevin Brent is joined by David Mansfield, strategist, board adviser and researcher into strategic decision making, to explore why so many intelligent leadership teams still make poor strategic choices and what business owners can do to dramatically improve the quality of their decisions. Drawing on doctoral research and decades of board experience, David explains why the process behind a decision matters far more than simply reaching an answer. He shares practical techniques that help leaders...
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Episode#639: Designing organisations that scale by putting people first - with Peter Rimmer
ScaleUp Radio
Growing a business isn't just about strategy, systems or structure. As organisations grow, founders often discover that the biggest obstacle isn't the market. It's themselves. In this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Peter Rimmer, founder of Tusk Consulting, to explore why scaling successfully requires founders to evolve alongside their businesses. Peter shares why organisation design should start with people rather than process, how founders can overcome the fear of letting go, and why creating a culture where both hiring and leaving are positive experiences is essential for...
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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...
info_outlineChoose 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 building the systems and trust that allow businesses to scale.
Along the way they discuss burnout, delegation, profit, purpose, AI, authority and why execution beats endless learning every time.
In this episode
- Why revenue without profit is one of the biggest traps founders fall into
- The hidden cost of chasing "more" instead of focusing on what matters
- Why authority beats endless content marketing
- The difference between learning and implementation
- How burnout forced both Gulliver Burns and Lee Nazari to completely rethink success
- Why trust and delegation sit at the heart of every scalable business
- How AI should challenge your thinking rather than replace it
- The importance of execution rhythms, deep work and disciplined focus
One standout message
The founders who scale don't do more. They choose less, then execute brilliantly.
Key takeaway
The businesses that grow sustainably are built on clarity rather than complexity. Profit matters more than turnover. Delegation matters more than control. Focus matters more than activity.
Featured Episodes
- Erica Holthausen — Building authority without the content treadmill
- Gulliver Burns — From burnout to better business foundations
- Lee Nazari — Using AI to make recruitment more human
If you haven't already listened to the full interviews, they're well worth adding to your playlist.
Smart90
Most founders I speak to feel busy but stuck. Plenty happening, but no real clarity on what matters most this quarter.
Here's what more than 500 interviews on this show have taught me: the founders who scale choose less, and deliver all of it.
That's what the G90 Summit is for.
A structured half day where we cut through everything competing for your attention, agree the three to five priorities that matter over the next 90 days, and build the rhythm to make sure they actually happen.
Quarterly • Virtual • £97 per seat
Find out more at Smart90.co.uk/summit
About ScaleUp Radio
ScaleUp Radio is hosted by Kevin Brent and brought to you by Smart90, sharing practical conversations with entrepreneurs and business leaders who have successfully scaled their businesses.
This episode was produced with the aid of AI, with editorial review by the ScaleUp Radio team.