In this episode, Ali Shariat and Leon Rhymer sit down with James Sutcliffe, the founder of The Founding Network. The Founding Network is a robust community that brings together over 1,200 founders to share their expertise and navigate the complex challenges of scaling a business. James opens up about his entrepreneurial journey, detailing how he took the leap to start his venture during the COVID-19 pandemic with a baby on the way. He provides candid insights into the realities of the founder experience, exploring the emotional isolation of building a company and the intense financial and reputational strain it creates. The conversation dives deep into the practical hurdles of business growth, explaining why many founders transition from being the core engine of their business to its biggest bottleneck as they approach the £1 million to £5 million revenue marks.

Join Ali Shariat and Leon Rhymer for this week's Upside News as they break down the latest developments impacting Amazon sellers. From new US tariffs and postal duty changes to Amazon's AI image disclosure rules and rising freight costs, they explain what these updates mean for your business. Plus, they discuss the growing pushback against Amazon's increasing fees and wrap up with a few positive industry headlines.

In this episode of Good, Bad & The Ugly, Leon Rymer, Will Plant, and Cormac Wooller review, analyze, and rank the biggest World Cup advertising campaigns and sports marketing strategies. From clever guerrilla marketing moves by Levi's and Beats to high-stakes campaign blunders like Budweiser’s Qatar stadium ban and Nike’s controversial billboards, the hosts explore what makes sports advertising iconic or forgettable.

In this episode, Ali Shariat and Leon Rymer discuss the latest developments in e-commerce and Amazon selling. They break down major industry news, including the latest changes affecting Temu and other global marketplaces, before answering some of the most common questions from brands. The conversation also covers the biggest mistakes businesses make when launching and scaling on Amazon, with practical advice on advertising, forecasting, inventory management, and long-term growth strategies.

Many brands struggle with agencies because the common "one-size-fits-all" model often prioritizes internal scalability over true strategic growth. To avoid this, it is crucial to find an external partner whose incentives align with your specific business goals, rather than just acting as a churn-heavy service provider. When evaluating a potential partner, look for transparency, proactive communication, and an ability to demonstrate how their work directly impacts your profitability.

In this episode, we dive into the harsh reality of running an Amazon brand in today's shifting economy. As rising tariffs, fee updates, and supply chain shifts squeeze cash flow, the traditional "growth at all costs" playbook is officially broken. We discuss why prioritizing profit over raw revenue is the ultimate survival strategy, how to avoid the dangerous cash traps built into the platform, and why relying on external funding might actually ruin your business. Tune in to learn how to keep your brand lean, resilient, and highly profitable.

In this episode, we explore why relying solely on standard dashboards can lead to costly strategic errors. Using the famous WWII "survivorship bias" bomber story, they explain that metrics often show an incomplete truth. To find real growth opportunities, brands must look beyond the raw numbers and factor in external context. Such as regional weather, competitor promotions, shipping deadlines, and seasonal market declines. Ultimately, they argue that since everyone has access to the same basic data, the true competitive edge lies in combining these metrics with human judgment and expertise.

In this episode of Upside, we sit down with public speaking coach and storytelling expert Rob D. Willis. Rob explains why most founders fail by pitching dry data instead of building real tension, breaking down why your customer must always be the true hero of the narrative. He shares his journey from running Berlin walking tours to coaching executives, his mindset shift for shipping high-performing social media content, and his advanced AI workflow connecting Claude and Obsidian. Tune in to learn how to turn abstract business ideas into powerful stories that actually move people.

In this episode, we explore the growing tension between Amazon and direct-to-consumer brands, why many businesses struggle to make D2C profitable, and what brands should be focusing on in 2025 and beyond. Whether you're an Amazon seller, brand owner, or eCommerce operator, this conversation will help you understand where the biggest opportunities and risks are today.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Kishan Rees and Cormac Willer to explore one of the most valuable assets in business today: trust. From healthcare and patient education to AI, misinformation, and digital content, we discuss how organizations can build credibility in an increasingly noisy online world. The conversation also dives into personal experiences, leadership lessons, and why trust remains the foundation of meaningful relationships between brands and people.