AJ is a serial entrepreneur and passionate student of startups.
After a decade of spending countless hours and money building companies, most of which failed, he went back to basics and surrounded himself with entrepreneurs decades further ahead of him.
He ran a deeply connected community of 400 entrepreneurs in the UK and realised how little he knew about the art and science of company building.
At this intersection of relationships and company building is where AJ has found the key to success.
If we don't understand people, we don't understand business.
But people are hard to understand....
Which is why this show exists!
scale with soul is a deep dive intro how the best entrepreneurs alive build and manage the relationships that lead to startup success.
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WeWork's Co-Founder Breaks His 5-Year Silence (Exclusive)
Episode 49
Friday, August 29, 2025 β’ Duration 02:30:36
WeWork's Cofounder, Miguel McKelvey, shares the most vulnerable, insightful and rounded account of WeWork in his first interview since the startup's dramatic collapse 5 years ago.
π Chapters - In this interview we cover...
00:00 - The Guilt Of WeWork & How To Let Go
15:40 - What Does Changing The World Actually Mean?
22:03 - Business And Community Tensions
27:36 - What Does Community Actually Mean?
32:21 - Community Ideologies vs Geographies
38:20 - Wisdom & Naval Ravikant
44:38 - When Does A Startup Become A Cult? "
57:26 - "How do you scale culture? "
01:04:03 - What culture practices to invest in as a smaller startup
01:11:21- Leaning Into Conflict
01:13:07 - Team Adam vs Team Miguel
01:21:24 - Power Tensions
01:26:27 - Rebekah Neumann's Role in WeWork
01:32:23 - S-1 IPO Filing
01:37:34 - The Public's Reaction To Adam
01:47:19 - Miguel's Awareness Of WeWork's Finances
01:54:02 - How Much To Trust Others In The Leadership Team?
01:57:18 - Noticing Scrappy Scaling
02:00:31 - Why It Made Sense For WeWork To Buy An Artificial Wave Startup
02:02:41 - Adam & Miguel's Reality Distortion
02:10:45 - What Really Destroyed WeWork
02:12:40 - How To Step Outside Of Ourselves & Reflect
02:18:08 - Miguel's Advice For Entrepreneurs
02:27:40 - What Can We Support Miguel With
πΏ WATCH NEXT
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How Drowning Forced Me to Lead | Louise Hill - GoHenry
Episode 48
Thursday, August 28, 2025 β’ Duration 01:08:10
When GoHenry's founder hit rock bottom, she was drowning...
She realised that the single point of failure was her. At 6am every morning, that familiar sick thump of dread would hit.
Here's how she built her company from the ground up, faced rejection from her own board, and emerged stronger than ever.
π‘ What you'll learn in this episode:
βͺοΈ How to identify and eliminate dangerous "single points of failure" in your business before they drown you
βͺοΈ Why operationalising your values through your entire team is the secret to retaining talent for over a decade
βͺοΈ How to navigate brutal board dynamics and still drive toward what's right for your company
βͺοΈ The 6-month evolution framework that prevents you from running into walls as you scale
βͺοΈ The counterintuitive approach to M&A that led to a successful Β£125M+ exit to Acorns
π Chapters
00:00 - What Keeps You Up At Night?
01:21 - When you are the Single Point of Failure
05:19 - Fixing the system when you're drowning
07:36 - The little Red Handbook!
13:59 - Fixing the Points of failure in practice
15:39 - Realising you might not be needed in a company you built
19:14 - Do they just want a yes man?
23:09 - Control as a leader: When to hold on and when to let go!
27:32 - Developing Finance Function... When and how to do it
I Was Miserable As CEO | Sam Knight - Exec Coach
Episode 47
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 β’ Duration 01:21:52
Most founders think they can figure it out alone - until they crash.
Sam Knight was "very, very resistant" to coaching, convinced it was just "talking about feelings." Then his friend forced him to try it...
This is the story of how losing his father at 15 shaped his leadership blind spots, and why facing them transformed both his company and his life.
π§ What You'll Learn
βͺοΈ The performance management framework that separates high-growth teams from collections of individuals
βͺοΈ Why "I am because we are" (Ubuntu philosophy) transforms competitive founders into collaborative leaders
βͺοΈ The five pillars every leader must master (and why most CEOs score poorly on at least two)
βͺοΈ How childhood trauma creates invisible leadership blind spots that sabotage teams
βͺοΈ How to spot what you know is true now but will only admit in six months' time
βͺοΈ Why feeling words at work unlock deeper team connection and performance
π Chapters
00:00 - From Resistant CEO to Coaching Convert
06:11 - The Yoko Ono Exhibition That Changed Everything
11:24 - Pollinate: Building and Selling a B2B Platform
13:52 - "I Really Just Wasn't Enjoying My Job"
17:38 - The Five Pillars of Leadership Framework
25:47 - Goal Setting vs Accountability: What's the Difference?
32:43 - Why Most Teams Avoid Performance Management
Europe vs US: Where To Scale Your Startup | Carolyn Dawson - Founders Forum Group
Episode 46
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 β’ Duration 54:50
Most founders don't realise the biggest barrier to scaling isn't capital or talent β it's learning when to let go.
Carolyn Dawson built a 10,000-person founder community by understanding this one truth:
The best leaders know exactly when to stop being indispensable.In this interview youβll discover what is needed to choose between entering the US vs Europe startup sector.
π§ What You'll Learn:
βͺοΈ Why European founders' "humanity" in hiring decisions might actually be holding back the ecosystem
βͺοΈ How celebrating failure accelerated growth at Supercell (and why most founders get this backwards)
βͺοΈ The curation secrets behind building the UK's most exclusive founder community
βͺοΈ Why "founder mode" becomes dangerous after Series B and when to transition
βͺοΈ The internal vs external balance that separates unicorn founders from the rest
π Chapters
00:00 - UK vs US: The Narrative Problem
06:27 - When Founders Should Actually Exit Their Companies
11:43 - Building a People-Driven Business at Scale
22:46 - The Stories Behind Closed Funding Rounds
When To Fire Yourself As CEO | Evgeny Shadchnev - Founder Of Makers & Exec Coach
Episode 45
Friday, August 15, 2025 β’ Duration 01:17:01
He built a company to millions, hired someone better to run it, and walked away.
Why stepping down as CEO can be your greatest act of leadership.
Most founders cling to their CEO titles long after they've outgrown the role.
Evgeny Shadchnev did the opposite. He recognised the misalignment, planned his exit over 14 months, and handed the keys to someone who could scale what he'd built. What he soon learnt transformed both his life and the business.
π§ What You'll Learn:
βͺοΈ How to recognise when you've outgrown your own company (before burnout forces the decision)
βͺοΈ The difference between founder skills and CEO skills β and why confusing them kills companies
βͺοΈ A framework for making confident leadership transitions without destroying what you've built
βͺοΈ The breathwork techniques that shift your nervous system from reactive to strategic
βͺοΈ Why starting a company for belonging can lead to profound misalignment later
π Chapters
00:00 - What A Founder Coach Does
00:41 - What Founders Don't Talk About
05:02 - "Predicting the Future of the Company"
08:10 - The Founder's Job: Make Sure It Survives
11:15 - The Skills Needed at Pre-Product Market Fit
14:17 - Moving to Product Market Fit - "This Is a Very Specific Skillset"
15:15 - "The Skills You Never Stop Needing - Fred Wilson's Advice"
How To Hire Startup Rockstars | Freddie Birley - Founder Coach
Most founders obsess over their company metrics while completely ignoring their own performance metrics.
What if the secret to scaling your startup isn't just building better systems, but becoming a better human?
Finder coach Freddie Birley has spent years studying what separates venture-backed rockstars from the rest ... and it's not what you think.
π§ What You'll Learn
Critical Founder Insights:
βͺοΈ Avoid the spiritual poverty trap that follows most successful exits
βͺοΈ Master the balance between masculine drive and feminine intuition in leadership
βͺοΈ Discover the 3 core traits that define outlier performers in venture-backed startups
βͺοΈ Understand why 50%+ of founders report wellbeing as their biggest personal challenge
βͺοΈ Learn why alignment beats intelligence when it comes to sustainable high performance
βͺοΈ Data Vs Debate: What founders at different stages (0-10, 10-20, 20-50, 50-150 team size) struggle with most
π Chapters
00:00 - Intro - Headhunting Taught Me to Coach
02:50 - What Actually Makes a Venture Rockstar
05:47 - The Three Pillars: Authenticity, Value Creation & Leadership
My Ego Nearly Killed My Startup | James Roycroft-Davis
Episode 43
Saturday, August 9, 2025 β’ Duration 01:11:38
Most founders won't talk about thisβ¦
But the line between grandiose confidence and dangerous delusion is thinner than you think.
James Roycroft-Davis stood on Putney Bridge, hearing voices telling him to jump, before discovering his bipolar diagnosis would become his greatest teacher.
This is the unfiltered story of how ego, untreated mental health, and founder identity nearly destroyed everything - and how radical self-awareness rebuilt it all.
π‘ What you'll learn in this episode:
βͺοΈ How to spot the early warning signs of ego-driven decision making that destroy startups
βͺοΈ Why bipolar disorder can be both a founder's greatest asset and deadliest trap
βͺοΈ Why most founder therapy misses the mark - and what actually works
βͺοΈ How becoming a father rewired his entire relationship with success and identity
βͺοΈ A framework for making decisions based on who you want to be, not who you think others expect
βͺοΈ The difference between Β£100M ego goals and Β£500K happiness goals (and why one nearly killed him)
π Chapters
00:00 - Intro
01:19 - The Bridge Call That Changed Everything
07:28 - 20 Years of Trauma Exploding at Once
09:07 - The Guilt of Surviving
11:12 - Nature vs Nurture in Mental Health
12:19 - When Granddad's Death Flipped the Switch
15:31 - The Israeli Psychologist Who Gets Startups
18:10 - "Most Founders Do Have Grandiose Sense"
Most Startups Get This Wrong: Growth Vs Scale | Neda Sahebelm - Keshty
Episode 42
Thursday, August 7, 2025 β’ Duration 01:32:07
What does it really takes to SCALE (not just grow...)?
Neda Sahebelm was an early joiner at Multiverse, achieving 98% retention and 50% diversity in her teams, whilst delivering multiple Β£20M quarters.
Growth is doing more with more.
Scale is doing more with less.
In this episode she reveals the system that transforms chaos into high-performing teams.
π§ What You'll Learn
βͺοΈ Growth vs Scale: The difference between success and chaos
βͺοΈ "Operation Thrive": How to flip a toxic team culture in 6 months
βͺοΈ The hiring system that achieved 98% retention and radical diversity
βͺοΈ The 3-pillar framework: Org Design, Recruitment, and Retention done right
βͺοΈ How to fire people gracefully (and why most leaders get this catastrophically wrong)
π Chapters
00:00 - Intro
06:14 - Growth vs Scale: Why Most Founders Get This Wrong
10:11 - The "Operational Efficiency" Myth.
16:32 - The SVB Crash Aftermath: Market Shifts and Human Costs
24:35 - Start with Product (Not People or Process)
Why Your Outer Voice Is Your Biggest Threat | Soheil Ahmadzadeh - Coach
Episode 41
Friday, August 1, 2025 β’ Duration 01:03:12
A Universe Class Coaching Session...
This is an insight into the framework to separate your inner wisdom from the fear-based voices that keep you small. This isn't therapy. It's reconnecting with your humanity.
π§ What You'll Learn
βͺοΈ The β5 Pillars of Connectionβ that transform any relationship
βͺοΈ 9 Steps to identify "outer voices" Vs your authentic inner voice
βͺοΈ The visualisation technique that silences self-doubt in minutes
βͺοΈ How to turn your values into actionable "inner voice archetypes"
βͺοΈAsk "If X wasn't there, what would be different?"
π Chapters
00:00 - Intro
02:01 - "I've Never Been Career-Driven" - Led by Curiosity
10:13 - Meet Soheil: Founder of ReHumanity
14:15 - The 5 Pillars of Connection Framework
17:11 - Inner vs Outer Voices: The Foundation of Self-Awareness
21:25 - 9 Signs You're in "Outer Voice Territory"
25:10 - Moving from Outer Voice to Inner Voice
31:38 - Creating Inner Voice Archetypes from Your Values
57:18 - A Firm Foundation - "My Work Is Led by Love"
59:40 - How to Connect: Building Humanity in Startups
πΏ WATCH NEXT
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Her Goal: Billionaire + World Champion + Zen | Jodie Cook - Coachvox
Episode 40
Wednesday, July 30, 2025 β’ Duration 01:49:57
A Billionaire AND World Champion Powerlifter?
Jodie Cook, after selling her agency for 7-figures, is now building Coachvox whilst training to be a world champion. And the secret isn't talent, it's systems.
This discussion explains how to crack the code on any goal; why Jodie never looks at competition; and the exact framework that's taking her to the top of two completely different games.
π§ What You'll Learn:
βͺοΈ How to identify your personal success system from past wins (and apply it to anything)
βͺοΈ Why "extreme people get extreme results" and how to test your edges safely
βͺοΈ The 3-part superpower matrix: Ace Cards, Best Self, and Success Systems
βͺοΈ The spirit animal framework that instantly shifts you from reactive to zen
βͺοΈ How to build user manuals for your team that eliminate 90% of friction
π Chapters
00:00 - Intro
04:21 - From Birmingham Agency to Global Ambitions
07:07 - Lifetime Goals Vs Annual Targets
14:19 - Cognitive Biases and the Halo Effect
17:12 - The Superpower Matrix: Ace Cards, Best Self, Success Systems
22:15 - Lion vs Pomeranian Puppy 28:12 - What Makes You Human in an AI World?
31:44 - Your Success System (Extract It from Past Wins)
40:06 - Finding People's Superpowers on Your Team
52:20 - Jody 2.0 vs 3.0: The Card Exercise
30:21 - The board chose someone else to be CEO
35:30 - 2 Points: Identify Your Dragons and Learn The Art of Pre-Present
37:41 - Working with Dragons on your board
39:52 - Three biggest Board meetings, the biggest decisions
43:02 - Fundraising Learning Curves: Raised Β£125M, Acquiring Pixpay and Being acquired by Acorns
48:01 - How we Acquired Pixpay, finding a similar culture in your acquisition
48:03 - Biggest learnings from 6 rounds of fundraising
52:14 - Generosity within the company culture. A solidifying moment
56:08 - The ROI of paying for a holiday for all the staff
01:00:29 - What in the culture leads to people staying on for so long?
01:03:31 - Going from CEO to Executive Chair of the Board
01:07:44 - Make your passion your mission
01:12:08 - How to choose and win your battles
01:15:38 - What action we need to take
πΏ WATCH NEXT
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