GrowthReady Podcast with Steve Mellor

About the Guest: Betsy Cerulo is a seasoned entrepreneur, federal contractor, and accessibility advocate with over 36 years of leadership experience. She is the CEO of an organization specializing in accessibility staffing and services, supporting blind, deaf, and neurodivergent communities. Betsy is also an author, mentor, and champion for heart-centered leadership grounded in truth, accountability, and compassion.

In this powerful GrowthReady conversation, Steve Mellor welcomes back Betsy Cerulo to explore what it really means to be growth ready in today’s volatile, uncertain environment.

Together, they unpack why truth, awareness, and flexibility are non-negotiable leadership skills, how to lead people through uncertainty without false reassurance, and why heart-centered leadership doesn’t mean avoiding hard conversations. Betsy also shares lessons from building a 36-year business, launching a complementary accessibility technology venture, and investing in long-term trust instead of chasing quick wins.

This episode is a masterclass in earned confidence, ethical leadership, and sustainable growth.

Key Takeaways:

• What it truly means to be growth ready
• Truth as a leadership practice (not a personality trait)
• Heart-centered leadership vs. “kumbaya leadership”
• Leading teams through uncertainty and fear
• Accountability, boundaries, and compassion
• Navigating unknowns without false certainty
• Building trust and “reserves” over decades
• Why patience beats “get rich quick” thinking
• Intentional networking for introverted leaders
• Accessibility, advocacy, and inclusive leadership

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
• Official Website - https://growthready.com/

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

About the Guest: Luke DePron is a health and performance coach and the founder of The Fitment Project, where he helps high-performing men reclaim their health, energy, and confidence without extreme fitness tactics or unrealistic routines. Luke is known for his pragmatic, psychology-first approach to fitness helping clients build identity-based habits, minimum effective standards, and sustainable systems that integrate seamlessly into real life, careers, and family responsibilities.

About the Episode: In this episode, Steve Mellor sits down with Luke DePron to unpack why most driven professionals fail at health and how to finally make it stick. Luke explains why success isn’t about motivation, 30-day challenges, or doing more but about setting guaranteed minimum standards, upgrading identity, and respecting the seasons of life you’re actually in.

They dive deep into how confidence is built through competence, why unrealistic goals quietly destroy self-belief, and how leaders can integrate fitness into their lives without sacrificing family, performance, or sanity. This conversation reframes health not as another pressure but as the foundation that unlocks the next level of leadership and performance.

Takeaways:

• Building confidence through competence, not motivation
• The power of guaranteed minimum standards
• Beginner mindset and lowering the barrier to entry
• Why “doing more” often backfires for high performers
• Identity-based decision making (Fit Dad, Fit Leader)
• Avoiding the all-or-nothing fitness trap
• Integrating health into real life, travel, and family
• Seasons of life and sustainable performance
• Health as the foundation of elite leadership
• Long-term systems vs short-term intensity

Resources Mentioned

• The Fitment Project – https://fitmentproject.com
• Luke DePron on LinkedIn (mentioned as primary social platform)

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
• Official Website - https://growthready.com/

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

About the guest: Dr. Alexa D’Agostino is a “doctor of marketing” and founder/operator who’s built and scaled multiple businesses. She’s known for blending sharp performance marketing thinking with operational reality, systems, metrics, team structure, and the mindset required to scale without breaking. She also runs an invite-only mastermind built around proximity to high-level operators and coaches.

About the episode: Most leaders say they want growth, more revenue, more clients, more recognition but Dr. Alexa D’Agostino calls out the uncomfortable truth: many businesses aren’t growth ready… they’re chaos ready. In this conversation, Steve and Alexa unpack what “growth ready” really means when pressure hits: clean systems, clear roles, scalable offers, and metrics that matter.

Key topics:

• “Growth ready” vs. “chaos ready” (and why most businesses are the latter)
• Why scaling exposes problems instead of fixing them
• The non-negotiables: systems, lanes, people, and a scalable offer
• Metrics that matter (CPA, LTV) vs. vanity metrics (likes/followers)
• Delegation, automation, and building a machine that works without you
• Failure: not the fear of it, but the avoidance of what you already know must change
• Curiosity as interrogation: using fear as data
• Mindset as an operating system and why it must be upgraded
• The role of environment: outgrowing people, protecting energy, and choosing alignment
• Integrity under pressure: the gap between stated values and calendar reality

Links and resources mentioned

• Dr. Alexa D’Agostino: https://alexadagostino.com/
• Social handle mentioned: “Dr. Alexa D’Agostino” (on most platforms)

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
• Official Website - https://growthready.com/

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

About the Guest: Rebecca Mountain is a high-performance coach, international keynote speaker, bestselling author, and the creator of the Mountain Method. With an electrifying story of transformation, from growing up in a cult to becoming a leader in personal development, Rebecca helps people eliminate the “knowing-doing gap” so they can unlock success in work, life, and love.

Episode Summary: Rebecca shares her journey from escaping a cult to becoming a renowned coach and author. Together, they unpack the myth of “readiness,” how to turn excuses into launch pads, and the practical frameworks Rebecca uses to help clients bridge the gap between knowing and doing. This episode is a masterclass in resilience, intentionality, and building self-trust, packed with actionable insights for leaders, high performers, and anyone facing big changes.

Key Topics Discussed

• The myth of “readiness” and why you’re never truly ready
• Rebecca’s story: leaving a cult and rebuilding from scratch
• Excuses vs. launch pads: using adversity as fuel
• The power of self-trust and finding your “why”
• Frameworks for high performance: beliefs, decisive action, habits
• The knowing-doing gap and how to close it
• Emotional resilience and the real role of emotions in leadership
• Practical strategies to move from thought to action

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Rebecca’s website
• Follow Rebecca on socials: @bexmountain
• The Mountain Method: Learn more about her 100 Days to Peak Performance program
• Brendan Burchard's High Performance Habits (referenced framework)

#GrowthMindset #HighPerformance #LeadershipDevelopment #EmotionalIntelligence #PersonalGrowth #SelfTrust

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
• Official Website - https://growthready.com/

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

About the Guest: Alan Franks is a financial planner, entrepreneur, speaker, and the author of Empowered Money. With 15+ years of experience helping individuals align their finances with their fullest lives, Alan’s obsession is clear: helping people take ownership of their money so they can show up more fully in every other part of life. His approach fuses strategy, psychology, and leadership, making him not just a financial advisor, but a true change agent.

Episode Summary: In this episode, Steve Mellor sits down with Alan Franks to kick off the year with a conversation that challenges everything you thought you knew about goal-setting, obsession, and high performance. They explore how true growth doesn’t start with external goals, it starts with internal alignment and personal integrity.

Key Topics & Takeaways:

• Obsession vs. Goals: Why real results require focus
• The role of personal integrity in performance
• Financial planning as a tool for freedom, not restriction
• How to lead even if you're not in a “leadership” role
• The importance of tracking and manual awareness
• Creating internal alignment to prepare for external success
• Embracing playfulness amidst high performance culture
• Building systems that allow space, health, and joy

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Alan’s book: Empowered-Money.com
• Free Financial Plan: Available via Empowered-Money.com
• Business Valuation Tool: TheBusinessPlanningInstitute.com
• Book Mentioned: The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles
• Book Mentioned: The Gap and the Gain by Dan Sullivan
• Book Mentioned: The One Thing by Gary Keller
• Movie Referenced: City Slickers

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
• Official Website - https://growthready.com/

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

About the Guest: Benedict Beaumont is a breathwork facilitator, transformational teacher, and guide who helps high-performers reconnect with their inner wisdom, emotional clarity, and personal potential, all through the accessible yet powerful practice of breathwork. Benedict’s journey spans childhood asthma, personal resistance, deep self-discovery, and an eventual awakening through breath practice. Today, his teachings integrate somatic experience with spiritual grounding, making breathwork practical for leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday humans seeking direction, healing, and growth.

In this deeply experiential conversation, Steve and Benedict explore how breathwork can reveal clarity, unlock inner strength, and reconnect us to the parts of ourselves we often neglect. Benedict shares his personal story — from asthma and avoidance to transformation and purpose — and guides listeners through a powerful breathwork session designed to slow the mind, heighten awareness, and illuminate the decisions we’ve been wrestling with.

Key Topics & Themes

• The link between how we breathe and how we show up in life.
• Why high-performers resist what’s best for them — and how to overcome it.
• Breathwork as a tool for decision-making clarity.
• How childhood experiences shape adult resistance and trust.
• The relationship between spirituality, inner wisdom, and breath.
• Why neglecting your relationship with yourself has profound consequences.
• The “journey from the head to the heart” — and how breath bridges the gap.
• How breathwork simplifies what we tend to complicate.
• Building trust with yourself, the universe, God, or whatever you believe in.

Resources Mentioned

• Benedict Beaumont’s Breathwork Trainings & Resources
• Breathwork practice guidelines mentioned during the session

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
• Official Website - https://growthready.com/

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

About the Guest: Pat Fellows is an entrepreneur, endurance athlete, and co-founder of Fresh Junkie Racing, one of the leading endurance event organizations in the southeastern United States. With decades of experience in coaching, hospitality, music, and large-scale race production—including the iconic Louisiana Marathon—Pat is known for his relentless “say yes and figure it out” mindset. His story is a masterclass in belief, resilience, and execution without certainty.

About the Episode: This milestone 300th episode of the GrowthReady Podcast is an unfiltered, in-person conversation between Steve Mellor and longtime friend Pat Fellows.

Together, they unpack what it actually means to be growth ready—especially when there’s no proof, no roadmap, and plenty of reasons to say no. From building massive endurance events with zero precedent to swimming 34 miles without ever questioning if it was possible, Pat shares how belief is formed through action, effort, and conviction—not confidence or certainty.

This episode is for leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performers who feel stuck waiting for permission, clarity, or evidence before taking the next step.

Key Topics & Themes

• What it really means to be Growth Ready
• The power of a “yes-first” mindset
• Belief built through capability and effort, not outcomes
• Why waiting for proof keeps people stuck
• Saying yes when everything tells you no
• Leading through uncertainty and self-doubt
• Mental toughness, depression, and momentum
• Why execution beats confidence every time
• How high-performers get “unstuck”
• Reframing fear as fuel

Resources Mentioned

• Fresh Junkie Racing
• Louisiana Marathon
• Endurance training & event production insights

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
• Official Website - https://growthready.com/

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

About the Guest : Justin Burgess is a Louisiana-based insurance entrepreneur, health advocate, and rising voice in the fitness and performance world. After spending years stuck in mediocrity, overweight, unhealthy, and settling for a corporate life, Justin radically transformed his body, mindset, and career. He lost 60 pounds, rebuilt his confidence, and launched his own brokerage with a mission built on transparency, effort, and people over profits.

Episode Summary: In this energizing, relatable conversation, Steve Mellor sits down with insurance entrepreneur and fitness-driven high performer Justin Burgess to unpack what personal growth really looks like when you decide you've had enough of your own excuses.

Justin shares the story of going from complacent and unhealthy to losing 60 pounds, rebuilding his confidence, launching his own business, and reshaping his entire identity as a leader, father, and husband. He breaks down the power of community, discipline, transparency, and choosing to “bet on yourself”, even when doubt follows you into every new opportunity.

Key Takeaways:

• The moment Justin realized he was living below his potential
• Losing 60 pounds and rebuilding confidence
• How fitness unlocked growth in business and relationships
• Community, vulnerability, and doing hard things with others
• The patience required in relationship-driven industries
• Building a personal brand with transparency
• The “people over profits” philosophy
• Betting on yourself and saying yes before you’re ready

Links & Resources Mentioned

• Justin Burgess — LinkedIn
• Justin’s Socials: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
• Official Website - https://growthready.com/

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

About the Guest: Tim Cakir is the Founder of AI Operator and a seasoned growth leader with over a decade of experience spanning growth marketing, executive leadership, and AI enablement. Formerly a CEO leading teams of 100+ people, Tim now focuses on helping companies and individuals adopt an AI-first mindset rooted in curiosity, experimentation, and intentional decision-making. He’s also a Growth Mentor, global operator, and vocal advocate for navigating permanent change with love over fear.

About the Episode: In this episode of the GrowthReady Podcast, Steve Mellor sits down with Tim Cakir to explore what it truly means to be growth ready in an era of permanent change, especially as AI continues to reshape how we work, think, and lead.

Key Takeaways:

• What “permanent change” really means in the AI era
• Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset in high performers
• Curiosity as a leadership advantage
• Love vs. fear as a decision-making framework
• Why experimentation beats perfection
• Decision journals and intentional decision-making
• Avoiding consumption paralysis (consume → create)
• Using AI to remove friction and reclaim focus
• Mental health, panic attacks, and presence
• Leading yourself before leading others

Links & Resources Mentioned

• AI Operator
• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
• Tools referenced: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, voice notes, AI agents

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
• Official Website - https://growthready.com/

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...

About the Guest: Sardor Umrdinov is a serial entrepreneur, founder, and ecosystem builder who went from growing up in Uzbekistan without basic resources — including a refrigerator — to running one of the largest appliance repair companies in the U.S., plus a rapidly scaling multi-business ecosystem.

Sardor’s story is defined by relentless curiosity, extreme accountability, and a willingness to enter every new room before he feels ready. He’s a master of creating scalable structures, building internal accountability systems, and empowering teams to solve problems at the highest level. He hosts the Founder to Founder podcast, interviewing leaders building $100M–$1B companies.

Episode Summary: In this powerful conversation, Steve Mellor and serial entrepreneur Sardor Umrdinov break down the mindset, discipline, and structure required to scale yourself and your business far beyond what you think you’re capable of.

Sardor shares how growing up with constant discomfort — new languages, new environments, new failures — taught him to build readiness through action, not delay. He explains how he built an accountability “ecosystem,” why success requires a 360° support system, and how he scaled from technician to industry leader by solving bigger and bigger problems.

This episode is a masterclass in growth for founders, leaders, and high performers who want to build momentum, expand capacity, and craft a structure that makes success inevitable.

Key Takeaways:

• Why readiness is built through action, not preparation
• Sardor’s childhood in Uzbekistan & early resilience
• Leaving comfort zones repeatedly to develop identity
• Breaking down long-term goals into daily discipline
• Building a 360° ecosystem of accountability
• How internal “micro-boards” strengthen company growth
• The 1–3–1 problem-solving rule for teams
• Why entrepreneurs should love big problems
• Bringing spouses into long-term vision planning
• Building companies designed to last 300 years
• Curiosity as a superpower in the AI era

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Connect with Steve Mellor

Stay connected and keep growing with Steve:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-mellor-cc/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coachstevemellor
• Book Steve to speak at your next event → www.stevemellorspeaks.com
• Support the GrowthReady Podcast by leaving a 5-star rating → Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/growthready-podcast/id1406082163

Connect with GrowthReady

Join the community and keep your growth journey going:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/wearegrowthready/
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/growthreadypodcast/
• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/growthreadywithcoachstevemellor
• Official Website - https://growthready.com/

----

This podcast was produced on Riverside and released via ...