Having the right soil is key to growth. So are the right foundations in buisnes.
From The Global Business Insights Podcast with Dr Charlotte de Brabandt & Max Kent by Max Kent
June 11, 2026 · 16 min · Season 9 · Episode 3
About this episode
The episode discusses the importance of foundational work and preparation for sustainable business growth.
In this episode we explore more of the key concepts taken from 'Don't Shout at the Vegetables' - Lessons in Sustainable Leadership & Human Growth: Getting the Right Soil - what are the foundations and conditions for real growth in business? Tidy House, Tidy Mind - how do the mundane, overlooked basics actually set you up for success? Creating the Conditions - before we plant, before we scale, what needs to be in place? Charlotte and Max discuss why leaders often skip the preparation phase, rushing to plant before the soil is ready. They explore how small, consistent maintenance—keeping your desk clear, your inbox managed, your systems organised—creates the mental and operational space for sustainable growth. Just like a gardener knows that poor soil will never yield a strong harvest, Max shares why the "boring" foundational work is what separates businesses that scale well from those that collapse under their own growth.
People in this episode
Host: Max Kent
Guest: Dr Charlotte de Brabandt
Topics covered
- sustainable leadership
- business growth
- foundational work
- preparation phase
- mental space
- operational space
Keywords
- sustainable leadership
- business foundations
- growth conditions
- mental organization
- operational success
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Don't Shout at the Vegetables
More episodes of The Global Business Insights Podcast with Dr Charlotte de Brabandt & Max Kent
- What is Overgrowth? When to Prune? What Season are you in? · June 4, 2026 · 17 min
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- How is leadership changing as organisations become more data‑driven, automated, and operationally autonomous? · May 21, 2026 · 10 min
- Episode 9: Talent Attraction and Retention in High‑Velocity Environments · May 15, 2026 · 16 min
- Ethics and Responsibility in Technology‑Driven Organisations · May 7, 2026 · 11 min
- Leadership Beyond Hierarchy and Formal Authority · April 30, 2026 · 19 min
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