scale with soul

Most founders think they can figure it out alone - until they crash.Sam Knight was "very, very resistant" to coaching, convinced it was just "talking about feelings." Then his friend forced him to try it...This is the story of how losing his father at 15 shaped his leadership blind spots, and why facing them transformed both his company and his life.🧠 What You'll Learn▪️ The performance management framework that separates high-growth teams from collections of individuals▪️ Why "I am because we are" (Ubuntu philosophy) transforms competitive founders into collaborative leaders▪️ The five pillars every leader must master (and why most CEOs score poorly on at least two)▪️ How childhood trauma creates invisible leadership blind spots that sabotage teams▪️ How to spot what you know is true now but will only admit in six months' time▪️ Why feeling words at work unlock deeper team connection and performance📖 Chapters00:00 - From Resistant CEO to Coaching Convert06:11 - The Yoko Ono Exhibition That Changed Everything11:24 - Pollinate: Building and Selling a B2B Platform13:52 - "I Really Just Wasn't Enjoying My Job"17:38 - The Five Pillars of Leadership Framework25:47 - Goal Setting vs Accountability: What's the Difference?32:43 - Why Most Teams Avoid Performance Management42:43 - The Question That Reveals Hidden Truths49:02 - Ubuntu: "I Am Because We Are"1:02:18 - Losing Your Father and Leading Others1:13:06 - Preparing for Fatherhood After Loss1:16:56 - The Ubuntu Philosophy That Transforms Teams🍿 WATCH NEXTIf you liked this conversation, you'll love this one tooPret & Itsu Founder: The One Skill To Build £Billion Brands | Julian Metcalfe (interview)👉 Subscribe for weekly interviews and deeply practical videos on how to scale with soul📧 Get exclusive insights, timeless frameworks & founder tools in my newsletter🔗 Guest linkSam Knight - LinkedIn🔗 Affiliate LinkHEIGHTS Brain + Gut Supplements - 15% OFF

He built a company to millions, hired someone better to run it, and walked away.Why stepping down as CEO can be your greatest act of leadership.Most founders cling to their CEO titles long after they've outgrown the role.Evgeny Shadchnev did the opposite. He recognised the misalignment, planned his exit over 14 months, and handed the keys to someone who could scale what he'd built. What he soon learnt transformed both his life and the business.🧠 What You'll Learn:▪️ How to recognise when you've outgrown your own company (before burnout forces the decision)▪️ The difference between founder skills and CEO skills — and why confusing them kills companies▪️ A framework for making confident leadership transitions without destroying what you've built▪️ The breathwork techniques that shift your nervous system from reactive to strategic▪️ Why starting a company for belonging can lead to profound misalignment later📖 Chapters00:00 - What A Founder Coach Does00:41 - What Founders Don't Talk About05:02 - "Predicting the Future of the Company"08:10 - The Founder's Job: Make Sure It Survives11:15 - The Skills Needed at Pre-Product Market Fit14:17 - Moving to Product Market Fit - "This Is a Very Specific Skillset"15:15 - "The Skills You Never Stop Needing - Fred Wilson's Advice"17:48 - The First Alarm Bells20:24 - CEO Transitions Take Time22:16 - Feeling Misaligned: Childhood Experiences27:59 - The One Thing That Helped Me Make the Tough Decision35:23 - Ego Wanting vs Heart Longing37:40 - Success 10 Years Ago vs Success Now40:07 - The Startup Is Not There to Make You Happy45:09 - Running Away or Braving the Wind49:26 - Working Long Hours Sustainably58:22 - Decision Making01:05:31 - What Makes You Tick?01:08:20 - Revelation on Simplification of Life01:13:12 - What Your Fiancée Said About You01:15:25 - Read Evgeny's Book!🍿 WATCH NEXTIf you liked this conversation, you'll love this one too:Why Your Outer Voice Is Your Biggest Threat | Soheil Ahmadzadeh - Coach👉 Subscribe for weekly interviews and deeply practical videos on how to scale with soul📧 Get exclusive insights, timeless frameworks & founder tools in my newsletter:🔗 Guest Links:Find Evgeny's Book HereFounder and Ex CEO at MakersMentioned Resources:"Let Your Life Speak" by Parker Palmer Other Sheep breathwork appFred Wilson's blog on CEO framework (Union Square Ventures)🔗 Affiliate LinkVisit Monk Ice Baths for £100 discount

Most founders won't talk about this…But the line between grandiose confidence and dangerous delusion is thinner than you think. James Roycroft-Davis stood on Putney Bridge, hearing voices telling him to jump, before discovering his bipolar diagnosis would become his greatest teacher.This is the unfiltered story of how ego, untreated mental health, and founder identity nearly destroyed everything - and how radical self-awareness rebuilt it all.💡 What you'll learn in this episode:▪️ How to spot the early warning signs of ego-driven decision making that destroy startups▪️ Why bipolar disorder can be both a founder's greatest asset and deadliest trap▪️ Why most founder therapy misses the mark - and what actually works▪️ How becoming a father rewired his entire relationship with success and identity▪️ A framework for making decisions based on who you want to be, not who you think others expect▪️ The difference between £100M ego goals and £500K happiness goals (and why one nearly killed him)📖 Chapters00:00 - Intro01:19 - The Bridge Call That Changed Everything07:28 - 20 Years of Trauma Exploding at Once09:07 - The Guilt of Surviving11:12 - Nature vs Nurture in Mental Health12:19 - When Granddad's Death Flipped the Switch15:31 - The Israeli Psychologist Who Gets Startups18:10 - "Most Founders Do Have Grandiose Sense"25:49 - Type 1 vs Type 2: Why It Matters28:58 - The £500/Hour Diagnosis Story34:13 - Ego Work: From Validation to Creation38:20 - Why "Founder" Identity Makes You Unemployable42:21 - Two Job Offers, One Ego Check44:51 - Old James vs New James46:58 - The Exit Community Vulnerability49:02 - Alex McDonald's Life-Changing Advice50:48 - Happy and Comfortable vs £100M Dreams58:32 - The CBT Technique That Rewires Your Brain01:02:15 - Dual Purposes: Father and Founder01:06:26 - Final Asks: Jobs, Dad Groups, and Baseline🍿 WATCH NEXTIf you liked this conversation, you'll love this one too:Shazam Founder Interview; Secrets of Luck, Persistence & Success (Ep. 1)👉 Subscribe for weekly interviews and deeply practical videos on how to scale with soul📧 Get exclusive insights, timeless frameworks & founder tools in my newsletter🔗 Guest Links & ResourcesJames Roycroft-Davis : LinkedIn🔗 Affiliate LinkVisit Monk Ice Baths - for £100 discount

A Universe Class Coaching Session...This is an insight into the framework to separate your inner wisdom from the fear-based voices that keep you small. This isn't therapy. It's reconnecting with your humanity.🧠 What You'll Learn▪️ The “5 Pillars of Connection” that transform any relationship▪️ 9 Steps to identify "outer voices" Vs your authentic inner voice▪️ The visualisation technique that silences self-doubt in minutes▪️ How to turn your values into actionable "inner voice archetypes"▪️Ask "If X wasn't there, what would be different?"📖 Chapters00:00 - Intro02:01 - "I've Never Been Career-Driven" - Led by Curiosity10:13 - Meet Soheil: Founder of ReHumanity14:15 - The 5 Pillars of Connection Framework17:11 - Inner vs Outer Voices: The Foundation of Self-Awareness21:25 - 9 Signs You're in "Outer Voice Territory"25:10 - Moving from Outer Voice to Inner Voice31:38 - Creating Inner Voice Archetypes from Your Values57:18 - A Firm Foundation - "My Work Is Led by Love"59:40 - How to Connect: Building Humanity in Startups🍿 WATCH NEXTIf you liked this conversation, you'll love this one too:Google's Expert Communication Coach | Kay Munday (interview)👉 Subscribe for weekly interviews and deeply practical videos on how to scale with soul📧 Get exclusive insights, timeless frameworks & founder tools in my newsletter🔗 Guest Links Connect with Soheil Websitehttps://rehumanity.comInstagram: @rehumanity🔗 Affiliate Link For a £35 Discount on a Digital Detox Cabin - UnpluggedUse Code - UPMSCALEWITHSOUL

The "ruthless" business world tells us kindness is weakness – but what if that's backwards?Marcus Exall has built a reputation as one of the most respected angel investors in the world, not through aggression, but through genuine care for founders. His approach challenges everything we think we know about succeeding in startups.🧠 What You'll Learn▪️ Why treating kindness as strength (not weakness) creates better investment returns▪️ The 6-month founder evaluation process that's led to 2.5x returns across 31 investments▪️ How to build resilience through saying problems out loud instead of carrying them alone▪️ How to separate exceptional founders from good ones through focus and vulnerability▪️ Why obsessing over product features (not problems) kills most early-stage startups▪️ The storytelling framework that makes impossible visions feel inevitable📖 Chapters00:00 - Intro01:03 - From Tokyo Diner to 31 Angel Investments03:07 - What Japanese Culture Taught Me About Company Building13:08 - Balancing Kindness with Ruthless Business Decisions17:22 - The Swan Problem: Creating Safe Spaces for Founders to Be Real24:45 - Why Marcus Doesn't Invest Primarily for Money33:21 - How to Spot Exceptional Focus in Founders39:06 - Building Resilience: Why You Must Keep Getting Up42:03 - The £150k Mistake Most Founders Make01:02:07 - The Choice Between Health and Building Big Business01:03:28 - Marcus's Mum on Raising a Future Angel Investor🍿 WATCH NEXTIf you liked this conversation, you'll love this one too:Shazam Founder Interview: Secrets of Luck, Persistence & Success (Ep. 1)👉 Subscribe for weekly interviews and deeply practical videos on how to scale with soul 📧 Get exclusive insights, timeless frameworks & founder tools in my newsletterAffiliate LinkMonk Ice Bath For a £100 discount on the world's first smart ice bath, visit - www.discovermonk.com/SCALEWITHSOUL

Why do most startups fail? Harvard's largest startup study reveals this as the #1 cause of failure, yet most founders don't realise. Orr Vinegold, CEO of Unrest, has built an entire programme around solving this hidden crisis.💡 What You'll Learn:▪️ Why interpersonal issues kill more startups than any other factor▪️ How to separate your ego from your business before it becomes toxic to your team▪️ The trauma-to-fuel framework that turns personal pain into authentic brand messaging▪️ A practical 4-pillar resilience system to "fix the roof when the sun is shining"▪️ Why most founders confuse their identity with their company (and how to break free)▪️ The neuroscience behind founder burnout and the salience network that controls motivation📖 Chapters00:00 - Intro00:44 - From Israeli Politics to Startup Psychology02:16 - The Four Dimensions of Self-Development04:10 - What Kills More Startups Than Anything Else11:22 - The Circle of Connection: Self vs Others14:13 - Creating Challenging Relationships That Push You Forward22:02 - Dangers of Building a Business to Heal Yourself26:06 - The Trinity - I Am, I Will, I Must31:45 - Four Pillars Framework39:29 - The Three Arenas: Personal, Community, or World Impact43:06 - From Aberdeen to Israel: A Founder's Origin Story58:23 - The Rooms We Haven't Entered: Unprocessed Trauma01:09:02 - The Energy Cost of Carrying Unresolved Pain🍿 WATCH NEXT If you liked this conversation, you'll love this one tooYou Find Your Edge When You BREAK | Emmie Faust - Female Founders Rise👉 Subscribe for weekly interviews and deeply practical videos on how to scale with soul📧 Get exclusive insights, timeless frameworks & founder tools in my newsletter:Affiliate Link15% OFF at Heights - Brain and gut supplements use this linkOrr's LinkedInUnrest Website

Most founders talk about near-death experiences, but few admit the brutal truth: sometimes the company survives, but you lose pieces of yourself you can never get back.James Lo had 2 weeks left before bankruptcy, watched a team member become a stalker after layoffs, and wrestled with whether building venture-scale companies requires abandoning your deepest values.This is his unfiltered reckoning with what it really costs to build.🧠 What You'll Learn▪️ How to survive the 48-hour countdown to bankruptcy▪️ Why consensus-building will destroy your startup - and the conflict framework that saves it▪️ The hidden psychology of why deep friendships at work become emotional time bombs▪️ How Sequoia plays a 10-year game most founders never see coming▪️ Why the "spend money to grow" VC playbook is fundamentally broken in 2025▪️ The automation-first hiring philosophy that could revolutionise early-stage companies📖 Chapters0:00 - Intro1:24 - Two Weeks From Bankruptcy4:58 - "We Were Completely Wrong..."7:45 - The Portuguese Holiday That Nearly Killed Us10:21 - When Deep Friendships Become Toxic at Work15:17 - From Hong Kong Activism to Silicon Valley22:13 - "You Look Down at Your Footsteps, Walk Upward in Flow"25:16 - Why Activism and Entrepreneurship Are the Same (And Different)30:47 - The Guilt of Abandoning the Movement35:20 - How We Pivoted After Raising (And Why Antonio Still Backed Us)40:04 - How Sequoia Scouted Me for 2 Years Before I Knew It46:18 - The 30-Person Founder Speed Dating Experiment50:12 - How to Test Co-Founder Chemistry in Crisis55:46 - From Consensus Builder to Conflict Embracer60:21 - Why "Hire Your Way Out of Problems" Will Kill You65:16 - The Controversial Truth About VC Growth Mentality70:19 - Building Vision from Personal Problems (Not Top-Down Idealism)78:53 - How Simplicity Reveals Unexpected Vision88:00 - The Team Member Who Became a Stalker95:17 - Balancing Ruthlessness with Humanity🍿 WATCH NEXT If you liked this conversation, you'll loveWhy 93% of Entrepreneurs Fail at Content Creation | Dan Murray-Serter👉 Subscribe for weekly interviews and deeply practical videos on how to scale with soul📧 Get exclusive insights, timeless frameworks & founder tools in my newsletterAffiliateFor a £35 discount on a Digital Detox Cabin. Visit Unplugged.rest & Use Code: UPMSCALEWITHSOUL🔗 James Lo on LinkedInEthos

Startups are meant to be rocket ships - some reach outer orbit… Others crash back down to earth in a ball of flames Rob Bridgman built Snug from £1M to £31M revenue in just three years, only to watch it nearly collapse overnight when the market turned. This is the unfiltered story of what it really takes to survive as a founder when everything falls apart. 🧠 What You'll Learn: ▪️ How to build challenger (or “Pirate”) thinking into your culture from day one ▪️ The "Clear Is Kind" framework that transforms difficult conversations into breakthroughs ▪️ Why Rob's "Golden Hour" policy became their secret weapon for creativity and retention ▪️ The brutal reality of what happens when growth-stage funding disappears overnight ▪️ How feedback loops with customers can drive exponential product-market fit ▪️ How to scale from 12 to 70 people without losing your startup soul📖 Chapters0:00 - Intro1:06 - From Childhood "Inventor" to Entrepreneur3:42 - The Values That Built Snug's Culture10:10 - How "Clear Is Kind" Revolutionised Team Performance15:49 - Working With the Best: Hiring Top 5% Talent17:17 - The Nonviolent Communication Framework24:04 - Give Every Team Member Professional Coaching26:21 - Making Culture Tangible: Weekly Pulse Surveys & NPS39:46 - The ICE Framework: How to Prioritise 100+ Product Ideas44:22 - Year One: Selling One Sofa to £1M Revenue46:26 - The Three Pillars: Product Innovation, Customer Journey & Brand52:25 - Year Two: £7M Revenue During COVID Chaos54:32 - Year Three: £31M and 70 People - "It Was Absolute Chaos"57:24 - Scaling Pains: From 12 to 70 People in One Year59:29 - Fixing Our Management Structure Crisis67:00 - The Fundraising Nightmare: From £70M Valuation to £900K Exit69:23 - Selling to SCS: From Pirates to Navy78:13 - What I'd Do Differently: Standing Your Ground From Day One85:33 - The Fork in the Road: Rebuild Snug or Start Fresh?o🍿 WATCH NEXTIf you liked this conversation, you'll love this one too:The Human Side Of Startup Leadership | Margot De Broglie👉 Subscribe for weekly interviews and deeply practical videos on how to scale with soul 📧 Get exclusive insights, timeless frameworks & founder tools in my newsletter🧊 Affiliate Link: For a £100 Discount on the World's First SMART Ice Bath - follow this link discovermonk.com/SCALEWITHSOULRob's LinkedIn