• The mistake most leaders make in creating a gap between vision and execution
• How to distinguish temptation from opportunity
• How Evan deploys KPIs to give everyone real clarity about how they can most contribute to the corporate mission
• The 'dark side' of Evan's high energy and passion - and how he's learned to deal with that

• [email protected]
• Evan Sohn's LinkedIn
• Book - Extreme ownership
• Book - The Lighthouse Effect (Steven Pemberton)
• The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast home page
• Remember to download your copy ofThe CXO's Checklist for Challenging Times! 

What if the hard decision is also the moment that reveals who is ready to lead?

In this episode, Richard speaks with Thomas Crary, CEO of Pond5, about moving from CFO to CEO and leading through the early shock of COVID.

Thomas's story shows that difficult decisions are not just cost-control moments. When a CEO communicates the reality clearly, connects the decision to the direction of the business and trusts people with responsibility, hidden talent can surface quickly. The leadership curve is not only about making the call; it is about creating the conditions where others step up after the call is made.

For scaling founders and CEOs, this is CEO leadership in a crisis. Strategy becomes a practical filter for what not to do, and the leader's job is to make the direction clear enough that people can act without waiting for constant permission.

You'll learn:

• Why CFO-to-CEO leaders often need to prove they can operate beyond finance
• How fast, clear decisions can unlock internal leadership capacity
• Why strategy is most useful when it defines what not to do
• How crisis communication can create alignment rather than panic
• Why CEOs need unstructured thinking time even when the business feels urgent

Resources:
Pond5
https://www.pond5.com/

---

BONUS RESOURCE – ACCOUNTABILITY CHARTER

Turn your leadership team into a strategic growth engine, without micromanaging or drama. Download and implement the Accountability Charter today.

https://xquadrant.com/go/accountability/

---

GO DOWN THE XQUADRANT RABBIT HOLE

📧 The Leverage Letter

https://xquadrant.com/letter

📒 The 10X Reckoning

https://xquadrant.com/reckoning/

📕 Making TIME For Strategy

https://xquadrant.com/time/

🎧 The Defining Move Podcast

https://xquadrant.com/podcast/

---

NEW SHOW BRAND & FORMAT

This episode was released as part of The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast. We’ve now rebranded the show to The Defining Move, and upgraded the format.

The Defining Move is a podcast about CEO leadership for scaling businesses, and the CEO transformation that drives the next level of growth.

Check out our newest episodes, in which Richard Medcalf hands one of the world's most accomplished leaders a fictional defining move, already made, that changes the trajectory of their business.

You’ll learn from how they think and how they lead when the stakes rise. And you’ll discover the hidden sources of leadership leverage that take them to their next level, and will take you to yours.

https://xquadrant.com/podcast

What changes when you move from a large corporate machine into a high-growth specialist business where the machine has to be built around you?

In this episode, Richard speaks with John Maynard, CEO of Adarma Security, about leaving Fortune 100 scale for a private-equity-backed cybersecurity company.

John's lesson is that CEO evolution often shows up first in the leader's calendar. In a larger corporate environment, many support systems already exist. In a specialist scale-up, the CEO has to consciously build the operating team, investor rhythm, customer relationships, partner ecosystem and long-term capacity that make the business less dependent on them.

For scaling founders and CEOs, this is a practical view of CEO leadership for scaling businesses. Stakeholder management is not a distraction from value creation; it is part of the system that lets the company grow with confidence.

You'll learn:

• Why moving from corporate scale to specialist growth changes the CEO operating system
• How to balance customers, investors, partners and team without losing the long-term agenda
• Why stakeholder management is value creation, not extra work
• How a CEO can use time allocation as a strategic discipline
• Why making yourself redundant is a sign the organisation is maturing

Resources:
Adarma
https://adarma.com/

---

BONUS RESOURCE – ACCOUNTABILITY CHARTER

Turn your leadership team into a strategic growth engine, without micromanaging or drama. Download and implement the Accountability Charter today.

https://xquadrant.com/go/accountability/

---

GO DOWN THE XQUADRANT RABBIT HOLE

📧 The Leverage Letter

https://xquadrant.com/letter

📒 The 10X Reckoning

https://xquadrant.com/reckoning/

📕 Making TIME For Strategy

https://xquadrant.com/time/

🎧 The Defining Move Podcast

https://xquadrant.com/podcast/

---

NEW SHOW BRAND & FORMAT

This episode was released as part of The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast. We’ve now rebranded the show to The Defining Move, and upgraded the format.

The Defining Move is a podcast about CEO leadership for scaling businesses, and the CEO transformation that drives the next level of growth.

Check out our newest episodes, in which Richard Medcalf hands one of the world's most accomplished leaders a fictional defining move, already made, that changes the trajectory of their business.

You’ll learn from how they think and how they lead when the stakes rise. And you’ll discover the hidden sources of leadership leverage that take them to their next level, and will take you to yours.

https://xquadrant.com/podcast

What if the bottleneck in the business is not strategy, market or capital, but the CEO's personal energy system?

In this episode, Richard speaks with Gurjodhpal Singh, CEO of Tide India, about building both a development centre and SME banking business while navigating the pressure of a first country-CEO role.

Gurjodhpal's story makes personal energy concrete. Long hours, constant responsiveness and Sunday-night dread are not badges of honour; they are warning lights. The CEO leadership work is to create boundaries, thinking time and a team strong enough that every important decision does not have to pass through the same person.

For scaling founders and CEOs, this is CEO leadership at the point where stamina becomes strategy. If the leader cannot protect energy, attention and judgment, the organisation inherits that fragility.

You'll learn:

• Why personal energy is an operating constraint, not a private issue
• How to spot when long hours have become a leverage warning light
• Why CEOs need thinking time before the calendar fills every gap
• How a stronger team changes what truly needs the leader
• Why building for SME customers requires both local focus and organisational patience

Resources:
Tide
https://www.tide.co/

---

BONUS RESOURCE – ACCOUNTABILITY CHARTER

Turn your leadership team into a strategic growth engine, without micromanaging or drama. Download and implement the Accountability Charter today.

https://xquadrant.com/go/accountability/

---

GO DOWN THE XQUADRANT RABBIT HOLE

📧 The Leverage Letter

https://xquadrant.com/letter

📒 The 10X Reckoning

https://xquadrant.com/reckoning/

📕 Making TIME For Strategy

https://xquadrant.com/time/

🎧 The Defining Move Podcast

https://xquadrant.com/podcast/

---

NEW SHOW BRAND & FORMAT

This episode was released as part of The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast. We’ve now rebranded the show to The Defining Move, and upgraded the format.

The Defining Move is a podcast about CEO leadership for scaling businesses, and the CEO transformation that drives the next level of growth.

Check out our newest episodes, in which Richard Medcalf hands one of the world's most accomplished leaders a fictional defining move, already made, that changes the trajectory of their business.

You’ll learn from how they think and how they lead when the stakes rise. And you’ll discover the hidden sources of leadership leverage that take them to their next level, and will take you to yours.

https://xquadrant.com/podcast

What are the two pieces of homework every new CEO has to do at the same time?

In this episode, Richard speaks with Miguel Giribet Giral, CEO of Cash Converters España, about stepping into the CEO role, aligning with owners and founders, and leading retail and digital transformation through COVID.

Miguel's lesson is that CEO evolution starts in two directions at once. The new CEO has to build trust with the team below while also aligning with the owners, founders or board above. Without that double alignment, execution becomes noise. With it, the leader can connect personal purpose, business purpose and practical strategy.

For scaling founders and CEOs, this is CEO leadership as alignment before action. The job is not just to push harder; it is to make sure the people around the business are actually trying to build the same thing.

You'll learn:

• Why new CEOs inherit two alignment challenges, not one
• How purpose helps when transformation has to move through existing systems
• Why simple strategy matters more than elaborate language
• How stepping back from hands-on work changes the CEO's effectiveness
• What retail and digital transformation can teach leaders about timing and trust

Resources:
Cash Converters España
https://www.cashconverters.es/

---

BONUS RESOURCE – ACCOUNTABILITY CHARTER

Turn your leadership team into a strategic growth engine, without micromanaging or drama. Download and implement the Accountability Charter today.

https://xquadrant.com/go/accountability/

---

GO DOWN THE XQUADRANT RABBIT HOLE

📧 The Leverage Letter

https://xquadrant.com/letter

📒 The 10X Reckoning

https://xquadrant.com/reckoning/

📕 Making TIME For Strategy

https://xquadrant.com/time/

🎧 The Defining Move Podcast

https://xquadrant.com/podcast/

---

NEW SHOW BRAND & FORMAT

This episode was released as part of The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast. We’ve now rebranded the show to The Defining Move, and upgraded the format.

The Defining Move is a podcast about CEO leadership for scaling businesses, and the CEO transformation that drives the next level of growth.

Check out our newest episodes, in which Richard Medcalf hands one of the world's most accomplished leaders a fictional defining move, already made, that changes the trajectory of their business.

You’ll learn from how they think and how they lead when the stakes rise. And you’ll discover the hidden sources of leadership leverage that take them to their next level, and will take you to yours.

https://xquadrant.com/podcast

What story would make a future investor believe the business is already becoming the company they want to back?

In this episode, Richard speaks with Christopher Traggio, CEO of VOO, about inheriting a difficult operating situation and using a future shareholder story as a practical transformation tool.

Christopher's lesson is that investor narrative is not something to polish at the end. Used well, it becomes the operating spine: where the company is going, what has to be true 12 to 18 months from now, and what the team must build backwards from today. The story gives people a way to understand painful decisions, capability gaps and leadership changes as part of one coherent direction.

For scaling founders and CEOs, this is Strategic Leadership and CEO leadership under investor scrutiny. The future story matters because it forces the current organisation to face what still has to change.

You'll learn:

• Why investor story should be built before the fundraising or sale moment
• How future-pacing can create a practical transformation roadmap
• Why communication dilutes as it moves through layers unless leaders repeat the story deliberately
• How to build the next leadership layer below the executive team
• Why a difficult inherited situation needs narrative discipline as well as operational fixes

Resources:
VOO
https://www.voo.be/

---

BONUS RESOURCE – ACCOUNTABILITY CHARTER

Turn your leadership team into a strategic growth engine, without micromanaging or drama. Download and implement the Accountability Charter today.

https://xquadrant.com/go/accountability/

---

GO DOWN THE XQUADRANT RABBIT HOLE

📧 The Leverage Letter

https://xquadrant.com/letter

📒 The 10X Reckoning

https://xquadrant.com/reckoning/

📕 Making TIME For Strategy

https://xquadrant.com/time/

🎧 The Defining Move Podcast

https://xquadrant.com/podcast/

---

NEW SHOW BRAND & FORMAT

This episode was released as part of The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast. We’ve now rebranded the show to The Defining Move, and upgraded the format.

The Defining Move is a podcast about CEO leadership for scaling businesses, and the CEO transformation that drives the next level of growth.

Check out our newest episodes, in which Richard Medcalf hands one of the world's most accomplished leaders a fictional defining move, already made, that changes the trajectory of their business.

You’ll learn from how they think and how they lead when the stakes rise. And you’ll discover the hidden sources of leadership leverage that take them to their next level, and will take you to yours.

https://xquadrant.com/podcast

• Why hiring 60 young employees in 6 months changes Olivier's perspective on management forever
• Why employers should support employees in their personal, not just professional, life
• How Olivier "went slow to go fast" and the specific simple project he ran that transformed his product and built his sales pipeline.

• Sunshine-Me website
• Cafeyn news app
• The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast home page
• Remember to download your copy of The CXO's Checklist for Challenging Times ! 

How do you find the right idea when the business has too many plausible directions?

In this episode, Richard speaks with Michel Robert, CEO of Epsilon Telecommunications, about using triangulation to shape strategy in a fast-moving communications business.

Michel's lesson is that the best ideas rarely arrive from one source. Leaders need to understand the revenue base, listen to customers, learn from analysts, draw out internal expertise and test where the value logic really sits. Strategic leadership starts slowly enough to see the pattern, then moves faster once the direction is clear.

For scaling founders and CEOs, this is CEO leadership for scaling businesses that have more ideas than focus. The danger is not a lack of opportunity; it is scattering attention across too many good options before the strategic signal is clear.

You'll learn:

• Why triangulation helps leaders separate signal from noise
• How customers, analysts and internal experts each reveal different parts of the strategy
• Why idea-rich companies need sharper focus, not more brainstorming
• How to move slowly at the start so execution can speed up later
• Why post-acquisition independence can preserve agility when the strategy is clear

Resources:
Epsilon Telecommunications
https://epsilontel.com/

---

BONUS RESOURCE – ACCOUNTABILITY CHARTER

Turn your leadership team into a strategic growth engine, without micromanaging or drama. Download and implement the Accountability Charter today.

https://xquadrant.com/go/accountability/

---

GO DOWN THE XQUADRANT RABBIT HOLE

📧 The Leverage Letter

https://xquadrant.com/letter

📒 The 10X Reckoning

https://xquadrant.com/reckoning/

📕 Making TIME For Strategy

https://xquadrant.com/time/

🎧 The Defining Move Podcast

https://xquadrant.com/podcast/

---

NEW SHOW BRAND & FORMAT

This episode was released as part of The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast. We’ve now rebranded the show to The Defining Move, and upgraded the format.

The Defining Move is a podcast about CEO leadership for scaling businesses, and the CEO transformation that drives the next level of growth.

Check out our newest episodes, in which Richard Medcalf hands one of the world's most accomplished leaders a fictional defining move, already made, that changes the trajectory of their business.

You’ll learn from how they think and how they lead when the stakes rise. And you’ll discover the hidden sources of leadership leverage that take them to their next level, and will take you to yours.

https://xquadrant.com/podcast

What do you do when half the leadership team leaves just as the business needs to transform?

In this episode, Richard speaks with Alex Shevchenko, CEO of Guavus, about stepping into leadership during COVID, resetting the senior team and holding the strategy steady through turbulence.

Alex's story reframes leadership departures. Losing senior people can feel like a crisis, but it can also reveal the energy, capability and ownership already sitting inside the organisation. The CEO leadership move is to treat the reset professionally, promote people who are ready, and keep the strategy consistent enough that the business does not wobble with every departure.

For scaling founders and CEOs, this is Executive Team Ownership in a high-pressure moment. A leadership team is not working simply because familiar people are still in the seats; it is working when the right people can own the future you are building.

You'll learn:

• Why senior exits are not always the disaster they first appear to be
• How internal promotions can create energy and credibility during transformation
• Why professional fit matters more than friendship at the leadership table
• How consistency helps teams navigate disruption without losing direction
• What CEOs can learn from rebuilding the top team while the business keeps moving

Resources:
Guavus
https://www.guavus.com/

---

BONUS RESOURCE – ACCOUNTABILITY CHARTER

Turn your leadership team into a strategic growth engine, without micromanaging or drama. Download and implement the Accountability Charter today.

https://xquadrant.com/go/accountability/

---

GO DOWN THE XQUADRANT RABBIT HOLE

📧 The Leverage Letter

https://xquadrant.com/letter

📒 The 10X Reckoning

https://xquadrant.com/reckoning/

📕 Making TIME For Strategy

https://xquadrant.com/time/

🎧 The Defining Move Podcast

https://xquadrant.com/podcast/

---

NEW SHOW BRAND & FORMAT

This episode was released as part of The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast. We’ve now rebranded the show to The Defining Move, and upgraded the format.

The Defining Move is a podcast about CEO leadership for scaling businesses, and the CEO transformation that drives the next level of growth.

Check out our newest episodes, in which Richard Medcalf hands one of the world's most accomplished leaders a fictional defining move, already made, that changes the trajectory of their business.

You’ll learn from how they think and how they lead when the stakes rise. And you’ll discover the hidden sources of leadership leverage that take them to their next level, and will take you to yours.

https://xquadrant.com/podcast