How I’m approaching 2026.

In this episode, I break down the behaviours, decisions, and standards I’m doubling down on, and what I’m cutting, to grow without chaos.

Less noise. More precision. Better direction.

If you’re a founder doing £250k–£5m and this resonated, Expansion Partners is where this thinking gets implemented. It’s a private room for operators ready to be challenged and build the next phase of their business correctly.

https://calendly.com/growth-phil-graham/expansion-call

Direction matters more than goals.

In this final episode of the year, I reflect on ambition, performance anxiety, and the hidden cost of tying your self-worth to business goals.

We explore why building a business for “success” often leads to burnout, and how designing a business around your actual needs leads to freedom, peace of mind, and control of your time.

If you’re heading into 2026 with big ambition but little stillness, this episode will change how you think about growth.

Want a clearer, more profitable plan for 2026? The 2026 Profit Formula™️ shows you how to map your profit, sharpen execution, and build real leverage.

https://phil-graham.com/2026-profit-formula/

Frustration isn’t a sign you’re failing - it’s the down payment on your next level.

In this episode, we dig into the real reason business owners get stuck: rising marketing costs, a collapsing trust landscape, weak teams, and the uncomfortable truth that most people avoid the work that actually moves the needle.

Here’s what we cover:

• Why attention is harder (and more expensive) than ever
 • The “trust recession” and why human-led branding is the new advantage
 • The mindset mistake that keeps founders trapped in anxiety loops
 • Belief gaps, skill gaps, strategy gaps, and how to close them fast
 • How to handle underperforming team members before they quietly sink the ship
 • Why you must confront discomfort, not medicate it with motivational noise
 • The real cost of avoiding hard conversations in your business
 • How to turn frustration into momentum instead of burnout
 • And the single leadership shift that will determine your growth in 2026

If you’re tired of feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or constantly putting out fires, this episode will give you the clarity - and the kick - to fix it.

Listen now and get back into growth mode.

Marketing costs are exploding - and most founders don’t realise why.

In this episode, I break down the uncomfortable truth behind rising ad costs, the death of faceless corporate marketing, and why personal brands are becoming the only defensible edge going into 2026.

You’ll learn:

• Why my own ad spend 3.5x’d, and why others are seeing 10x
 • How AI is flooding the internet with synthetic content
 • Why “more volume” is no longer a winning strategy
 • The shift from production to provenance in modern marketing
• Why founder-led brands, human story, and high-friction channels are about to dominate
• The single mistake that will make your marketing costs skyrocket next year
• And the playbook every business needs to build a brand people can actually trust

If you rely on ads, content, or online visibility to grow your business, this is non-negotiable listening.

The landscape is changing fast... here’s how to stay ahead of it.

Every founder has five growth drivers that determine their trajectory.
In this episode, Phil breaks down the operating system behind real scale - identity, retention, leverage, monetization, and attention - and shows how gratitude shifts you out of fear and into expansion.
A must-listen if you’re building for 2026 and want clarity, momentum, and a stronger mindset.

Whenever you’re ready there are 3 ways of working together…

1.⁠ ⁠If you want to go deeper with this work, I’m running a Personal Brand and Profit Intensive at my home in January. The first one sold out fast. I’m running a second date. If you want the details, email me at [email protected] or send me a message on Instagram with the word ‘Jan’

2.⁠ ⁠If you’re interested in working with me long term, Expansion Partners is our flagship partnership for established founders who want structure, guidance, and serious growth in 2026. You can speak with my team here:

https://calendly.com/growth-phil-graham/expansion-call

3.⁠ ⁠If you want help fixing the biggest blind spots in your business, I’ve created a free course that walks you through all of it. It’s simple, clear, and built to help you make fast progress. You can get it here:

https://phil-graham.com/expansion-add-a-zero

Ambition is a superpower, but it can wreck your Christmas if you don’t control it.
 In this episode, Phil breaks down how founders can stay present, protect their mental bandwidth, and set goals, risks, and operations so you actually enjoy the holidays instead of spiralling.
 Perfect listen for any entrepreneur heading into December.

Whenever you’re ready there are 3 ways of working together…

1.⁠ ⁠If you want to go deeper with this work, I’m running a Personal Brand and Profit Intensive at my home in January. The first one sold out fast. I’m running a second date. If you want the details, email me at [email protected] or send me a message on Instagram with the word ‘Jan’

2.⁠ ⁠If you’re interested in working with me long term, Expansion Partners is our flagship partnership for established founders who want structure, guidance, and serious growth in 2026. You can speak with my team here:

https://calendly.com/growth-phil-graham/expansion-call

3.⁠ ⁠If you want help fixing the biggest blind spots in your business, I’ve created a free course that walks you through all of it. It’s simple, clear, and built to help you make fast progress. You can get it here:

https://phil-graham.com/expansion-add-a-zero

Most founders hit a ceiling they don’t see coming: comfort.
In this episode, Phil breaks down why your first season of success won’t carry you into the next one, and what it really takes to reinvent yourself, rebuild momentum, and start playing for great money instead of “good enough.”
If you feel the pull for more but you’re stuck in a comfortable life, this is your wake-up call.

If I had to build my business on social media from scratch again, I’d do it very differently. Not for views. Not for vanity. For high-quality leads, premium clients, and predictable sales.

This episode breaks down the exact strategy I’d use today:

 • How to choose the right platform based on where your best clients already spend time
• How to create content that positions you as the expert, not an entertainer
• How to turn social media into a revenue system, not a hobby
• What topics to focus on, how to research them, and how to build a weekly content plan
• Why authenticity, polarising stances, and clear beliefs outperform trends and hacks
• The CEO mindset required to delegate low-value tasks and protect your strengths

If you want to grow on social media, attract better clients, build a stronger personal brand, and scale your coaching business without burning out, this is the blueprint.

Search terms this hits naturally: social media growth, business coaching, content strategy, personal brand, lead generation, high-paying clients, entrepreneurship.

In this weeks episode, I break down the five brutal truths that separate seven-figure founders from everyone else.

You’ll learn:

• How your Founder Operating System shapes every result you get
• Why chasing new clients kills growth
• How to build leverage through A-Players and systems
• Why money fears and slow cash collection cost you profit
• And how to combine AI + personal brand to stay irreplaceable

If you’re stuck under a revenue ceiling, this episode shows you exactly how to break it.

The biggest source of pain in business isn’t failure, it’s believing every thought you have. This episode will help you separate fear from fact and move forward anyway.