ScaleX™ Insider Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of the ScaleX™ Insider podcast, Brendan McGurgan sits down with Rasmus Hougaard — founder and CEO of Potential Project, Thinkers 50-nominated leadership expert, and author of Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way and More Human: How the Power of AI Can Transform the Way You Lead (Harvard Business Review Press, 2025).

Rasmus joins the show to explore what it truly means to scale leadership with purpose, why human qualities are more important than technical skills in the age of AI, and how leaders can intentionally use technology to become more aware, wise, and compassionate.

We dive deep into:

• What scaling leadership with purpose really means in 2025

• Why 24% of today's leaders are unqualified for future challenges without developing awareness, wisdom, and compassion

• How AI can be leveraged as a tool to amplify human qualities, not replace them

• Practical strategies for training AI to reflect your values, guide decision-making, and act as a "360° coach"

• How curiosity, deep questioning, and a beginner's mind enhance wisdom and leadership impact

• The importance of slowing down through meditation, reflection, and breathwork to lead effectively

Rasmus also shares powerful examples of leaders using AI to strengthen human connection, challenge biases, and make more intentional, impactful decisions.

👉 Tune in to hear how purpose, human qualities, and intentional AI use can transform the way you lead people, organizations, and yourself.

📌 Connect with Rasmus Hougaard:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rasmushougaard

Books:

• More Human: How the Power of AI Can Transform the Way You Lead 

• Compassionate Leadership: How to Do Hard Things in a Human Way. Ras

• The Mind of the Leader: How to Lead Yourself, Your People, and Your Organization for Extraordinary Results 

🧭 About Simple Scaling & ScaleX™ Insider Podcast:
ScaleX™ helps SME leaders scale with purpose using the proven ScaleX™ Framework. Hosted by Brendan McGurgan, the ScaleX™ Insider Podcast shares insights from top entrepreneurs and business thinkers.

If you're an SME leader looking for a proven plan to scale, here are two ways to work with us:

👉 Join the Northern Ireland ScaleX Accelerator Programme (2026)
For CEOs, founders & MDs of SMEs (£2m–30m revenue) ready to scale leadership, teams, and value.
Join the waitlist: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/

👉 Join ScaleX Elevate (£750k–2m businesses)
A digital learning community with weekly training, support, and expert sessions — designed to give you a roadmap to 2x your revenue and talent within 2 years.
Register your interest: https://scalexinsights.simplescaling.com/elevate

#LeadershipImpact #MultipliersMindset #ScaleUpSuccess #SimpleScaling #SMEGrowth
#ExecutiveLeadership

Money mindset blocks keeping you stuck? One entrepreneur went from $500K plateau to $1 million months by shifting ONE childhood belief. Serial entrepreneur Allison Maslan reveals the journaling work that uncovers hidden money blocks—and why strategy alone will never work if you're sabotaging yourself.

Kita from Loosely Tea Market was stuck at $500K in revenue. Every strategy failed. Why? A hidden belief from childhood: "Nothing I do will work out." It wasn't conscious—but it was running her entire business. Allison Maslan's journaling work uncovered this self-sabotage pattern (foot on gas, foot on brake), and once Kita shifted to "Anything I set my mind to, I can make happen," everything changed. Within months: $1 million months. The lesson? Those money tapes—"money is evil," "who do you think you are?"—passed down from people we've never met, will run your entire life until you deal with them.

What you'll discover:

✅ Real case study: $500K stuck to $1M months by shifting one belief ✅ Why strategy fails when money mindset sabotages (foot on gas AND brake) ✅ The journaling work that uncovers hidden childhood money blocks ✅ How "nothing will work out" became "I can make anything happen" ✅ Why worthiness issues cap your revenue ceiling ✅ The money tapes running your life: "Money is evil," "Who do you think you are?" ✅ How beliefs from people you've never met control your business ✅ Why shifting mindset unlocks empowerment, happiness, AND wealth

Key Quotes:

"She had this belief that no matter what she did, nothing was really going to work out. This came from her childhood—it wasn't reality, but it was a resistance."

"As long as that belief was there, it didn't matter what strategies she implemented—she was always going to self-sabotage. Foot on the gas and foot on the brake at the same time."

"Once we helped her shift that belief to 'anything I set my mind to, I can make happen,' she crossed her first million-dollar month. Now she's hitting close to that every single month."

"Those beliefs—they're tapes that have been passed down from people we've never met. Money is evil, money doesn't grow on trees, who do you think you are? If we don't deal with them, they will run our entire life."

👉 Ready to uncover your money mindset blocks and scale with confidence?

The ScaleX™ Accelerator Programme addresses both strategy AND mindset—helping you break through revenue plateaus by addressing the beliefs holding you back.

Apply now: https://simplescaling.com/scalex-accelerator-programme

About Allison Maslan

Allison Maslan is a serial entrepreneur (10 companies founded, 4 exited) and founder of Pinnacle Global Network. She combines strategic business frameworks with deep mindset work—including journaling practices that uncover hidden money blocks. Her client Kita (Loosely Tea Market) went from $500K stuck to $1M months by shifting a single childhood belief. Author of Scale or Fail: How to Build Your Dream Team, Explode Your Growth, and Let Your Business Soar.

Connect with Allison:

• Website: https://www.pinnacleglobalnetwork.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonmaslan
• Instagram: @allisonmaslan
• Book: Scale or Fail

About ScaleX™ and Simple Scaling

ScaleX™ Insider is brought to you by Simple Scaling—creators of the ScaleX™ Accelerator Programme. A 12-month journey for ambitious SME leaders combining strategy, mindset work, and peer support to break through revenue plateaus.

🔗 Learn more: https://simplescaling.com/scalex-accelerator-programme

Subscribe & Never Miss an Episode

📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SimpleScaling 🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/scalex-insider/id1494889789 🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0d7ZzJFe6uL3I6wzW3BlFx

#MoneyMindset #500KTo1M #LimitingBeliefs #RevenueBreakthrough #ScalingWithPurpose #SelfSabotage

In this episode of ScaleX Insider, we're joined by Robert Glazer, founder and Chairman of the Board of Acceleration Partners, the premier global partner marketing agency that has won over 30 awards for its world-class company culture. Leading a fully remote team of over 270 people, Robert shares his insights on building high-performance cultures, scaling businesses with purpose, and leading with values that drive both personal and organisational success.

Drawing from his experience creating award-winning workplaces recognised globally, Robert unpacks how leaders can:

• Discover and align their personal core values to drive better decisions

• Translate those values into company culture and core principles

• Navigate challenging decisions and conflicts with clarity and integrity

• Build resilient teams that thrive in hybrid and rapidly changing environments

• Apply frameworks to foster accountability, ownership, and high engagement

Through engaging stories and real-world examples, Robert demonstrates how values-driven leadership not only strengthens teams but also fuels sustainable growth and impact across organisations of all sizes.

💡 Key topics:
Personal values discovery, values-driven leadership, high-performance culture, hybrid work strategies, resilient teams, ownership & accountability, decision-making frameworks, scaling with purpose.

🔎 About Robert Glazer:
Robert Glazer is the founder and Chairman of the Board of Acceleration Partners, a global partner marketing agency recognised for its award-winning culture. He leads a fully remote team of over 270 people and is the author of Friday Forward, an inspirational newsletter reaching over 200,000 readers each week, as well as the #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling books Elevate, Friday Forward, and How To Thrive In The Virtual Workplace.

Robert is also a global keynote speaker, TEDx presenter, host of the Elevate Podcast, and his work has been featured on the Today Show and in Harvard Business Review, Inc, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, and Business Insider. Above all, he is passionate about sharing ideas that help people and organisations elevate their performance and reach their full potential.

• Website: https://robertglazer.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glazer/
• Books: Elevate, Friday Forward, How To Thrive In The Virtual Workplace

📈 About Simple Scaling:
Simple Scaling helps SME leaders achieve exponential growth through expert coaching, masterclasses, and peer communities.

• Website: https://simplescaling.com

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simple-scaling

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simple_scaling

• Email: mailto:hello@simplescaling.com

🧭 About Simple Scaling & ScaleX™ Insider Podcast:
ScaleX™ helps SME leaders scale with purpose using the proven ScaleX™ Framework. Hosted by Brendan McGurgan, the ScaleX™ Insider Podcast shares insights from top entrepreneurs and business thinkers.

If you're an SME leader looking for a proven plan to scale, here are two ways to work with us:

👉 Join the Northern Ireland ScaleX Accelerator Programme (2026)
For CEOs, founders & MDs of SMEs (£2m–30m revenue) ready to scale leadership, teams, and value.
Join the waitlist: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/

👉 Join ScaleX Elevate (£750k–2m businesses)
A digital learning community with weekly training, support, and expert sessions — designed to give you a roadmap to 2x your revenue and talent within 2 years.
Register your interest: https://scalexinsights.simplescaling.com/elevate

#LeadershipImpact #MultipliersMindset #ScaleUpSuccess #SimpleScaling #SMEGrowth
#ExecutiveLeadership

In this episode, I had a fascinating conversation with Daniel Priestley, Founder of Dent Global & ScoreApp, author of 6x business books and founder of multiple 7 & 8 figure ventures. We talked about a range of topics including, how to get people lining up to do business with you, the 7 Step lead generation process for business growth, 4 tips to build successful marketing campaign, what you need to do to create a scalable business, you need to do this to command the highest price, why you need to pitch for success every time, why you need lead generation to be successful, the importance of putting your personal brand first, why you need to be running marketing campaigns for success, how to move your mindset from frugal to prosperity and expand your ability to attract luck, why you need to focus on personal branding, successful campaign strategies you need to drive success and so much more…

About Daniel

Today, we have a distinguished guest, Daniel Priestley. With a remarkable track record, Daniel is an accomplished author of four best-selling entrepreneurship books and the co-founder of Dent Global, a prominent business accelerator. He's a serial entrepreneur who's successfully established businesses across Australia, Singapore, and the UK. Daniel's expertise and impact extend globally, as Dent Global operates offices in London, Sydney, Singapore, and Tampa, endorsed by the Institute of Leadership and Management. With over 500 entrepreneurs and leaders participating annually, mentored by high-net-worth individuals, Daniel is a true influencer in the business world. His books, including "Key Person of Influence," "Entrepreneur Revolution," "Oversubscribed," and "24 Assets," have left an indelible mark. Recognized as one of the Top 10 Business Advisors in the UK by Enterprise Nation and a top 25 entrepreneur in London in the Smith & Williamson Power 100 Awards, we're excited to gain insights from Daniel's wealth of knowledge and experience.

Contact Daniel:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpriestley/

Website https://danielpriestley.com/

The book: Oversubscribed: How To Get People Lining Up To Do Business With You  

About the Host, Brendan McGurgan

Brendan is a global business leader who builds profitable, scalable businesses by delivering on his strong personal belief that anything is possible.

Contact Brendan McGurgan or Simple Scaling:

Buy the Simple Scaling Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business 

Contact Simple Scaling:

https://linktr.ee/simplescaling

In this episode, I had a fascinating conversation with Cynthia Dearin, international business strategist. We talked about a range of topics including, why you need to build personal relationships need to do first balanced mindset why you need to explore spam beyond your backyard what you need to do before you expand globally how to build a global team of excellence the blueprint you need to know for international success why you need research and empathy and international business and so much more…

About Cynthia

Cynthia is an international business strategist empowering leaders to scale globally and make a global impact. She's a former diplomat, management consultant, and CEO of the Australia-Arab Chamber of Commerce & Industry. In 2013, she founded Dearin & Associates, assisting prominent organizations and smaller companies in creating international strategies for global success. She's on a mission to help businesses amplify their impact worldwide.

Contact Cynthia: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthiadearin/?originalSubdomain=au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.dearin.global

Twitter: @cynthiadearin

Email: cynthia.dearin@dearinassociates.com

The Book: Business Beyond Borders: Take Your Company Global

About the Host, Brendan McGurgan

Brendan is a global business leader who builds profitable, scalable businesses by delivering on his strong personal belief that anything is possible.

Contact Brendan McGurgan or Simple Scaling:

Buy the Simple Scaling Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business 

Contact Simple Scaling: 

https://linktr.ee/simplescaling

In this episode, I had a fascinating conversation with Jamil Qureshi, TEDx Speaker, Performance Coach, Entrepreneur, Author. We talked about a range of topics including, why you need to know that success is a choice, the one thing you shouldn't be motivated by, why you don't need experts to solve your challenges, the questions you need to ask to challenge your belief system, why you need to know the difference between purpose and vision, the one word you need to avoid as a leader, questions you need to ask your team for innovative thinking, why you need to be curious to succeed, what you need to do to maintain high performance, why you need gamification to think big, why we need healthy debate to make sense of the world and why you should test assumptions to achieve greatness and why you need to say yes more than no and so much more…

About Jamil

Jamil Qureshi is a leading expert in performance psychology, known for working with top athletes and businesses worldwide. He has helped six individuals reach World Number 1 in their fields, including 22 golfers in the top 50 and 2 world number one golfers. Jamil has also collaborated with English Premiership football clubs, Formula 1 drivers, and the 2009 England Ashes-winning cricketers. In the business world, he has worked with companies like Coca Cola, Hewlett Packard, Emirates Airlines, Serco, Marks and Spencer, and Royal Bank of Scotland, focusing on leadership and change management. Jamil is a renowned speaker on various aspects of performance psychology, leadership, cultural change, and team performance.

Contact Jamil: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamil-qureshi-494661a/

Buy Jamil's Book

The Mind Coach: Be the person you really want to be 

About the Host, Brendan McGurgan

Brendan is a global business leader who builds profitable, scalable businesses by delivering on his strong personal belief that anything is possible.

Contact Brendan McGurgan or Simple Scaling:

Buy the Simple Scaling Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business

Contact Simple Scaling:

https://linktr.ee/simplescaling

In today's episode I'm delighted to re-introduce my business partner Claire Colvin. Claire and I recap our favourite moments from Season 10 and discuss why you need to manage your expectations to find happiness, the one reason employees would jeopardise a salary increase, why you need to show gratitude for the people in your life, why only human leadership will win the hearts and minds of people, why you need to bring healing to the world by putting people first, why you need to stop using military words in business and the importance of experimentation in business for success, why you need to show vulnerability, what you need to look out for when investing in a business and so much more...

About Claire

Claire has worked as a partner to business leaders and entrepreneurs of high growth businesses helping them to scale through their people. As the former Talent Director on the Board of a rapidly growing global organisation, Claire built the optimum people centred structures and systems to enable the company to significantly scale across six continents.

In 2019, Claire became my business partner and we set out on a journey of discovery to extensively research exemplars of scaling to identify the key attributes that made them successful.

Contact Claire

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-colvin-586a162b/

Simple Scaling Book

Check out our book, an Amazon Best-Seller: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10X Your Business

About the Host, Brendan McGurgan

Brendan is a global business leader who builds profitable, scalable businesses by delivering on his strong personal belief that anything is possible.

Contact Brendan McGurgan, Simple Scaling and Access Our Resources:

https://linktr.ee/simplescaling

In this episode, I had a fascinating conversation with Steven Bartlett, Entrepreneur, Speaker, Investor, Author, BBC Dragon, and the host of one of Europe's biggest podcasts, 'The Diary of a CEO'. We had a fascinating conversation about a range of topics including, how Sir Alex Ferguson led a successful culture and football team, how to lead a much happier life, 3 tips for marketing to give value for strangers, how to get people to pause on your post on social media, how to make your health your priority, the three things you need to look out for when investing in an entrepreneur, the impact of subjective stress and the power of community, why you need to purpose to make your people feel excited about your business, why you need small gains for unlimited success, why you need to focus on the who not the how to be successful, why you need to give value to strangers to build your social following, why you need to frame your stress differently, why you need to manage expectation to be happy, why you need to think bigger than yourself to be successful, why you need to experiment in business to be successful, why you need to know how about the power of self story and so much more…

About Steven

This guest needs no introduction. At only 31 years old Steven has already achieved a lifetime of success. His Diary of a CEO is the UK's #1 podcast. A formidable entrepreneur, an accomplished investor in some of the most disruptive global brands, a Sunday Times Bestselling author and founder of thirdweb, Flight Story and Flight Fund (his own private equity fund). In 2022, he joined as the youngest ever investor on the BBC's hit show Dragons' Den.

Steven has received a host of awards most notably listed on the Powerlist, which captures the most influential Black Britons and aims to celebrate the achievements of the most influential people of African, African Caribbean and African American heritage in the UK.

Contact Steven: 

Website: www.stevenbartlett.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenbartlett-123/

Buy Steven's books: 

The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life  

Happy Sexy Millionaire: Unexpected Truths about Fulfilment, Love and Success 

About the Host, Brendan McGurgan

Brendan is a global business leader who builds profitable, scalable businesses by delivering on his strong personal belief that anything is possible.

Contact Brendan McGurgan or Simple Scaling:

Buy the Simple Scaling Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business 

Contact Simple Scaling: 

https://linktr.ee/simplescaling

In this episode, I had a fascinating conversation with Philip McKernan, Inspirational Speaker, Writer & Filmmaker. We talked about a range of topics including, why you need to be ready for providing self-reflection, Phillip's obsession with the truth that people carry every day, the gifts that make you unique, why you need the greatest courage to question your own life, why the most powerful story in the world is our own, why new generation business leaders struggle in family businesses, why you need to address your childhood traumas, why you need to work on your personal story, the reason you need to know the gap in the relationship with yourself, the power of an authentic story on people, why you need to get in touch with the truth by you and pursue uncovering your souls work, the one thing every business leader needs to do, why you need to stop comparing yourself to others today, why you need to start couples therapy today, and so much more… 

About Philip 

Philip McKernan is a philosopher of the human experience, inspiring entrepreneurs and leaders worldwide. As a sought-after speaker, he has motivated the Canadian Olympic Team and The Pentagon, among others. Philip's originality sets him apart, bringing fresh conversations and challenging the status quo. With a passion for SoulSet™ philosophy, he empowers people to uncover their gifts and impact the world. Beyond his extraordinary insights, Philip's adventures include caddying for the President of Ireland and building an orphanage in Peru. His documentary film, Give & Grow, explores the profound impact of giving on our well-being and businesses.

Today, in the ScaleX™ Insider podcast, we have the privilege of delving into two of his profound books, "One Last Talk" and "Dead Man Walking, Join us for a captivating conversation with Philip. His unique insights will reshape your perspective on marketing, business, and the limitless potential of the future

Contact Philip McKernan: 

Website: https://philipmckernan.com/

Buy the Book: Dead Man Walking A Journey from Mindset to Soulset 

Buy the book: One Last Talk: Why Your Truth Matters and How to Speak It 

About the Host, Brendan McGurgan

Brendan is a global business leader who builds profitable, scalable businesses by delivering on his strong personal belief that anything is possible.

Contact Brendan McGurgan or Simple Scaling:

Buy the Simple Scaling Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business 

Contact Simple Scaling: 

https://linktr.ee/simplescaling

In this episode, I had a fascinating conversation with Bob Chapman, CEO and Chairman at Barry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc. We talked about a range of topics including, why you need to know that in business everybody matters, how to boost trust and loyalty from employees, what you need to look for when acquiring businesses, why you should never rely on this business model to be successful, the one thing you need to know to be a great leader, 3 Success tips for business and life, the one job you need to do as a leader, the one playbook you need to know for acquisitions, the guiding principles of leadership, the one skill every leader needs to learn today, how to make everyone feel that they matter, why a great business model will drive you through any storm, why you need to consistently grow your business, why your business needs purpose to be successful, the culture every business leader needs to create now, why you need to treat employees like they're family and so much more…

Intro to Bob

1. Bob Chapman
2. Truly Human Leadership
3. Barry-Wehmiller success story
4. Everybody Matters
5. Leadership skills
6. Business strategy
7. Employee trust and loyalty
8. Business acquisitions
9. Corporate leadership
10. Business growth tips
11. Success principles
12. Leadership guide
13. Culture in business
14. Employee-centric businesses
15. Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities
16. Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute
17. Leadership advice
18. Business model success
19. Corporate purpose
20. Business leadership
21. Humanistic Leadership Academy
22. UN Global Compact
23. ScaleX Insider
24. Brendan McGurgan
25. Simple Scaling principles
26. Business scalability
27. Entrepreneurship
28. Management strategies
29. Community building
30. CEO insights

On this ScaleX™ Insider episode, we dive into the story of Bob Chapman, globally recognized as a top CEO for his revolutionary approach to leadership. As Barry-Wehmiller's CEO, Bob transformed a faltering business into a $3.3B success, focusing on a people-centric strategy he calls Truly Human Leadership. This ethos is encapsulated in his WSJ bestseller, "Everybody Matters." Beyond his corporate achievements, Bob contributes to building a better world through the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities and the Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute. His advocacy for integrating business excellence with genuine people care has resonated from the UN Global Compact to the Humanistic Leadership Academy at Fordham University.

 Contact Bob Chapman:

YouTube: The Privilege of Leadership 

Check out other resources from YouTube from Bob Chapman

Contact: The Chapman Leadership Institute:

Buy the book: Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family 

About the Host, Brendan McGurgan

Brendan is a global business leader who builds profitable, scalable businesses by delivering on his strong personal belief that anything is possible.

Contact Brendan McGurgan or Simple Scaling:

Buy the Simple Scaling Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business

Contact Simple Scaling:

https://linktr.ee/simplescaling