What does it really take to step down as a founder-CEO—on your terms?

In this episode of Scaling Stories Unfiltered, I sit down with Evgeny Shadchnev, co-founder of Makers Academy and author of Startup CEO Succession, to talk about one of the biggest decisions a founder can make: handing over the reins.

Evgeny built one of Europe’s first coding bootcamps, helped thousands launch tech careers, and raised venture funding, then chose to step away. This is a refreshingly honest look at what that moment actually feels like.

Expect hard-won insight, no fluff.

What we cover in this episode:

• The biggest hiring mistake they made at Makers (and how it worked… until it didn’t)
• Why scaling too fast without strong foundations almost broke the business
• How Evgeny knew it was time to find a new CEO (and why most founders wait too long)
• What real culture looks like beyond buzzwords and office perks
• The difference between growth and “growing up” as a leader

Whether you’re scaling now or thinking about succession down the line, this one’s packed with gold.

Find Evgeny here:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shadchnev/
• Website: https://startupceosuccession.com
• His book: Startup CEO Succession (https://tinyurl.com/yn2ve7bx)

Books mentioned: 

Reboot by Jerry Colonna

No rules rules, Reid Hoffman

📩 Contact us: [email protected]

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Scaling a business isn’t about glossy headlines, it’s about grit, purpose, and solving problems that matter.

In this episode of Scaling Stories Unfiltered, I’m joined by Tessa Clarke, Co-Founder and CEO of Olio, the app tackling food waste by connecting neighbours & businesses to share surplus food and household items. With over 7 million users and 100 million meals saved, Olio proves you can scale and make a real-world impact.

Tessa shares:

• The lightbulb moment that sparked Olio
• Why they tested the concept without building an app
• How being remote-first helped them build a truly diverse team
• What it took to land major partnerships like Tesco
• The brutal reality of raising £50m as female founders
• How to protect your culture while scaling
• Why you must listen to your gut, even when hiring experts

Whether you’re scaling your first team or aiming for global reach, Tessa’s story is full of insight, honesty, and practical takeaways.

Who is Tessa Clarke?
Tessa is the Co-Founder and CEO of Olio, the world’s leading food-sharing app. With a background in digital marketing and an MBA from Stanford, she’s now on a mission to end food waste and reshape our relationship with resources, community, and sustainability.

Listen & Subscribe to Scaling Stories Unfiltered
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Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/yp9b4a49
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Website: www.scalingstoriesunfiltered.co.uk

Got a story to share or a guest to recommend?
Email: [email protected]

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Scaling isn’t about throwing more people at a problem—it’s about getting the right ones in the right roles, at the right time. In this episode of Scaling Stories Unfiltered, I’m joined by Jaimie Stewart, Chief of Staff at Newsflare, who’s scaled teams across some of the UK’s most recognisable brands—Tom Dixon, Whistles, and Cath Kidston included.

Jaimie shares why traditional hiring models are broken, what scale-ups actually need from People leaders, and how to keep your team truly engaged as you grow fast. This is a no-fluff conversation about what works, what doesn’t, and what every founder needs to hear before making their next hire.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why hiring for potential beats hiring for pedigree
• The difference between traditional HR and strategic People leadership
• When to bring in senior People expertise—and what they should actually do
• How to use internal mobility to build high-performing teams
• Why talent mapping early can be your unfair advantage

Who is Jaimie Stewart?

Jaimie is Chief of Staff at Newsflare, a media tech company powering the world’s leading publishers with user-generated content. With over 20 years’ experience, Jaimie’s worked at the intersection of people, performance, and growth—helping scale culture-led businesses from fashion to tech. He now supports founders and leadership teams in building people strategies that fuel sustainable growth.

Find Jaimie here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaimie-stewart-b69398b

🎧 Listen & Subscribe to Scaling Stories Unfiltered:
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/2p93xe94

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/yp9b4a49

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/2a9rv3hf

Website: www.scalingstoriesunfiltered.co.uk

Want to get in touch or suggest a guest?
Drop us an email at [email protected]

Whether you’re a founder, a scale-up CEO, or a business leader navigating fast growth, this episode is packed with practical insights to help you hire smarter and scale sustainably.

Don’t forget to subscribe for more real, unfiltered conversations about what it really takes to grow a business.

Scaling a consultancy isn’t about growing as fast as possible or chasing investors—it’s about building something that lasts, delivers real value, and reflects what you actually want from your business.

In this episode of Scaling Stories Unfiltered, I’m joined by Phil Brown, co-founder of OneGTM, who shares the real journey behind growing a strategic consultancy from zero to a successful exit. Phil opens up about the decisions that shaped the business, the mistakes that taught him the most, and why staying true to your vision matters more than you think.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why you don’t need to chase VC money to build a high-performing business
• The power of doing things your way—especially when everyone else is chasing growth at all costs
• How to know when you're onto something (and when it's time to go all in)
• The challenge of scaling a service business without compromising quality
• What acquirers really care about—and how to set your business up for a smooth exit

Who is Phil Brown?
Phil is the former co-founder of OneGTM, a consultancy that helped global B2B tech brands like AWS, Cisco, and Vodafone go to market more effectively. He’s now an advisor, investor, and board-level consultant supporting other founders and leadership teams on their growth journeys.

Find Phil Brown here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philabrown01/
 
 

🎧 Listen & Subscribe to Scaling Stories Unfiltered:
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/2p93xe94
Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/yp9b4a49
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/2a9rv3hf
Website: https://www.scalingstoriesunfiltered.co.uk

Want to get in touch or suggest a guest?
Drop us an email at [email protected]

Whether you’re a founder, scale-up CEO, or a business leader navigating growth, this episode is packed with practical insights you won’t find in startup playbooks.

 Don’t forget to subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about scaling businesses the right way.

#Scaling #StartupSuccess #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #ConsultancyLife #GoToMarket #ExitPlanning #ScaleUp #ScalingStoriesUnfiltered

Episode 3: The Dark Side of Scaling – Hard Truths Every Founder Must Know with Spencer Ayres

Scaling a business isn’t just about hiring fast, raising capital, or chasing exponential growth—it’s about making the right moves at the right time. When businesses get this wrong, it leads to hiring mistakes, client dependency, and even painful layoffs.

In this episode of Scaling Stories Unfiltered, I sit down with Spencer Ayres, Founder & Managing Partner of Jointly, to unpack the hidden challenges of scaling and share real-world lessons from his experiences working with global brands like Heineken, Barclays, and other major players.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

- The biggest scaling mistakes startups make and how to avoid them
- The danger of relying on one big client (and how it can bring a business down)
- Hiring too fast vs. hiring too slow—the real impact on growth
- How to build a resilient company culture that retains top talent
- Why growth for the sake of growth is a myth—and what success really looks like

💡 Who is Spencer Ayres?
Spencer is the Founder & Managing Partner of Jointly, an innovation, product, and marketing consultancy that helps businesses solve complex challenges 10x faster. He’s worked with some of the world’s biggest brands and has lived through the highs and lows of scaling a business—making him the perfect guest to share what truly makes or breaks a company.

Find Spencer Ayres here:
LinkedIn: Spencer Ayres’ Profile

Website: https://jointly.work 

🎧 Listen & Subscribe to Scaling Stories Unfiltered:
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/2p93xe94
Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/yp9b4a49
YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/2a9rv3hf
Website: https://www.scalingstoriesunfiltered.co.uk

📩 Want to get in touch or suggest a guest?
Drop us an email at [email protected]

Whether you’re a startup founder, scale-up CEO, or a business leader, this episode is packed with practical insights on how to scale without breaking your company.

🔔 Don’t forget to subscribe for more unfiltered conversations about scaling businesses the right way.

#Scaling #StartupSuccess #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #Hiring #ScaleUp #ScalingStoriesUnfiltered

📢 Scaling Stories Unfiltered - Episode 2

Scaling a business comes with tough decisions—and one of the biggest is how to get tech leadership right. Should you hire a full-time CTO, or would a Fractional CTO be the smarter move?

💡 Making the wrong tech decisions can slow you down—or worse, break your business.

In this episode, I sit down with Graham Roberts, a Fractional CTO who has helped scale businesses from early-stage startups to established organizations. With two decades of experience spanning Google, Intel, Kew Gardens, and Imperial College London, Graham shares real-world insights on why tech often fails in scale-ups—and what founders can do to fix it.

🎧 What you’ll learn in this episode:
✔️ The hidden reasons tech fails in scale-ups
✔️ When is the right time to hire a CTO?
✔️ Why tech is critical for business valuation & exit strategy
✔️ Common mistakes scale-ups make when implementing tech
✔️ How miscommunication between tech & business teams kills growth
✔️ The role of leadership in breaking silos & improving culture
✔️ The biggest myths about CTOs and technology in scale-ups
✔️ What makes a business attractive to investors & buyers

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Connect with Graham Roberts:
   
  • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamroberts004/
•  
  • Website: https://fullstackconsulting.co.uk/about-us
•  
  • MyExit: https://www.myexit.uk
•  
• Follow Scaling Stories Unfiltered for more:
   
  • LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicijupp/
•  
  • Website → [Insert Your Website Link]
•  

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?
Follow Scaling Stories Unfiltered wherever you get your podcasts and leave us a review—it helps more founders and leaders discover these insights.

The Hard Truth About Scaling, Hiring, Funding & Navigating Growth

📢 Scaling Stories Unfiltered - Episode 1

Scaling a business isn’t just about glossy headlines and overnight success—it’s messy, challenging, and full of lessons no one warns you about.

In this first episode of Scaling Stories Unfiltered, I sit down with Jon Cornwell, CEO & Co-Founder of Newsflare, one of the world's leading video marketplace platforms. Jon has spent over a decade raising VC funding, scaling a global platform, and staying ahead in the fast-moving media landscape.

🎧 What you’ll learn in this episode:

 ✔️ The tough realities of raising venture capital (and what founders get wrong)
 ✔️ Why hiring for a scale-up is completely different from a startup
 ✔️ How to build a leadership team that thrives in chaos
 ✔️ What to expect when expanding into new markets (and how to avoid expensive mistakes)
 ✔️ Why scaling isn’t about hiring ‘big names’ from corporate—it’s about finding the right fit
 ✔️ How to navigate leadership shifts, tough pivots, and growing pains

🔗 Resources & Links:

• Connect with Jon Cornwell:
   
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-cornwell-1985732 
• Newsflare: https://www.newsflare.com

• Follow Scaling Stories Unfiltered for more: www.scalingstoriesunfiltered.com
    
• Submit questions, stories, or recommend a guest: [email protected] 

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?
Follow Scaling Stories Unfiltered on your favourite platform and leave a review—it helps more founders and leaders discover these insights.

💡 Want to be a guest on the podcast? Message me here: [email protected]