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by Brendan McGurgan
My name is Brendan McGurgan and I am immersed in the world of scaleup businesses. In 2020, myself and business partner Claire Colvin co-founded Simple Scaling with the sole purpose of inspiring and enabling millions of ambitious leaders to scale with purpose. Over the past two years we have researched and examined our success and the success of those who have 'been there and done it' to create the 10 Principles of Scaling which is enshrined in our ScaleX™ Framework. As an extension of this we have created the ScaleX™ Insider Podcast.Every week I will be having fascinating conversations with authors, change makers and business leaders on one or more of the ScaleX™ Principles to support you on your journey to success. I believe passionately in business scaleup and most importantly the wellbeing of you - the aspirational scaleup leader. New episodes on Wednesdays. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts, and please rate, review and share the podcast if you enjoy it. For more information go
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- Yesterday5 min
[ScaleX Bite-Size] Is Your Business Growing or Just Repeating the Same Year?
Your business pays you a comfortable salary. You know how to run it. But are you still moving towards something you want? In this ScaleX Insider clip, Jodie Cook joins Brendan McGurgan to explore how comfort can keep business owners stuck. She shares thought experiments to help you decide what comes next and explains why rebuilding her agency after losing 25% of its clients prompted her to consider selling. For SME leaders weighing up whether to scale, step back or sell, Jodie offers a useful question: if you were starting again today, would you build the same business? Timestamps 00:00 How comfort can keep business owners stuck 00:40 Are you repeating the same year? 01:35 Making a deliberate choice about growth 02:35 Thought experiments to explore your next move 03:30 Losing 25% of clients and returning to daily operations 04:30 Why Jodie decided it was time to sell 05:00 Would you start the same business today? About Jodie Cook Jodie Cook is an entrepreneur, author and Forbes contributor who built and sold a social media agency within ten years. She is the author of Ten Year Career and co-author of How to Raise Entrepreneurial Kids with Daniel Priestley. In this conversation, she draws on her experience of running an agency, travelling and competing in powerlifting to explore how business owners can design their work around the lives they want. Connect with Jodie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodie-cook/ ScaleX with Us Free Diagnostic - Score Your Business Across the 10 principles of Scaling: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/scalex-10p-scaling-diagnostic ScaleX Accelerator (over £3M revenue)- Register Here: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/sx-programme-application ScaleX Elevate (under £3M revenue) - Register Here: https://simplescaling.com/solutions/scalexelevate-scale-up-coaching/ Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business Website: https://simplescaling.com Email: hello@simplescaling.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simple-scaling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simple_scaling Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@simplescaling
- Yesterday3 min
[ScaleX Bite-Size] How to Stop Micromanaging and Trust Your Team | Jodie Cook
How to Stop Micromanaging and Trust Your Team ? You delegate a task, then take it back because someone hasn't done it your way. Sound familiar? In this ScaleX Insider clip, Jodie Cook joins Brendan McGurgan to explain a distinction every SME leader should consider: doing something differently doesn't mean doing it wrong. Jodie explores how micromanagement pulls owners back into everyday delivery and why building systems gives you more choices. You might pursue further growth, run a lifestyle business or step away from daily operations while keeping ownership. If you struggle to let go, ask yourself: does this need correcting, or is it simply different from how I would do it? Timestamps 00:00 Deciding what comes next for your business 00:12 Why founders struggle to stop micromanaging 00:40 Doing it differently doesn't mean doing it wrong 01:15 Why owners get stuck in everyday delivery 02:10 Your options once the business can run without you 02:25 Growing through acquisitions 02:45 Choosing a lifestyle business 03:05 Stepping back while keeping ownership 03:30 Introducing the exit phase and founder syndrome About Jodie Cook Jodie Cook is an entrepreneur, author and Forbes contributor who built and sold a social media agency within ten years. She is the author of Ten Year Career and co-author of How to Raise Entrepreneurial Kids with Daniel Priestley. In this conversation, she draws on her experience of running an agency, travelling and competing in powerlifting to explore how business owners can design their work around the lives they want. Connect with Jodie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodie-cook/ ScaleX with Us Free Diagnostic - Score Your Business Across the 10 principles of Scaling: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/scalex-10p-scaling-diagnostic ScaleX Accelerator (over £3M revenue)- Register Here: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/sx-programme-application ScaleX Elevate (under £3M revenue) - Register Here: https://simplescaling.com/solutions/scalexelevate-scale-up-coaching/ Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business Website: https://simplescaling.com Email: hello@simplescaling.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simple-scaling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simple_scaling Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@simplescaling
- 3 days ago52 min
[REPLAY - from the archive] How to Grow Your Business Without Working More Hours with Jodie Cook
Your business is growing, but so is your workload. Your team still comes to you for decisions, you're pulled into everyday problems, and taking a proper holiday feels out of reach. How do you grow your business without working more hours? In this episode of ScaleX Insider, Brendan McGurgan speaks with entrepreneur and author Jodie Cook about building a business that can run without your constant involvement. Jodie started her social media agency at 22. Three years later, she realised the business she had built for freedom wouldn't let her take a holiday. She shares how documenting processes, training her team and learning to let go helped her step back while the agency continued to grow. Drawing on her book, Ten Year Career, Jodie explains how SME owners can stop being involved in everything and create more room to lead, plan and decide what comes next. Timestamps: 00:00 What does scaling with purpose mean? 02:00 Jodie's journey from starting an agency to selling it 05:00 Are you growing or repeating the same year? 08:00 How to decide what you want from your business 11:30 The four stages of the Ten Year Career 13:00 One offer, one ideal customer, one marketing channel 17:30 How to grow your business without working more hours 21:00 Building a business you can step away from 25:00 Letting go of micromanagement and trusting your team 27:00 Should you scale, sell or run a lifestyle business? 30:00 Stepping back without holding your team back 33:00 Powerlifting, confidence and protecting time outside work 36:00 Defining success on your own terms 38:30 Using journaling to make better business decisions 41:00 Three lessons Jodie would share with her younger self 45:00 Daily routines for focused work and recovery 47:00 Questioning how a career should look 49:30 What's next for Jodie and where to connect About Jodie Cook Jodie Cook is an entrepreneur, author and Forbes contributor who built and sold a social media agency within ten years. She is the author of Ten Year Career and co-author of How to Raise Entrepreneurial Kids with Daniel Priestley. In this conversation, she draws on her experience of running an agency, travelling and competing in powerlifting to explore how business owners can design their work around the lives they want. Connect with Jodie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodie-cook/ ScaleX with Us Free Diagnostic - Score Your Business Across the 10 principles of Scaling: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/scalex-10p-scaling-diagnostic ScaleX Accelerator (over £3M revenue)- Register Here: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/sx-programme-application ScaleX Elevate (under £3M revenue) - Register Here: https://simplescaling.com/solutions/scalexelevate-scale-up-coaching/ Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business Website: https://simplescaling.com Email: hello@simplescaling.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simple-scaling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simple_scaling Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@simplescaling
- 1 weeks ago5 min
[ScaleX Bite-Size] Marketing Success: Why Fear Stops You Getting Noticed - Overcoming the Fear of Differentiation in Marketing
You have an idea for your marketing. It feels different. Then you start wondering what your customers, colleagues or competitors might think—and settle for something safer. In this clip from ScaleX Insider, Brendan McGurgan speaks with Mike Michalowicz, author of Get Different, about the fear that keeps businesses marketing themselves like everyone else. Mike recalls asking an audience of around 5,000 photographers how they promoted their businesses. Between them, they identified just six approaches they were using. His point is simple: when everyone does the same thing, it becomes easy for customers to overlook you. He also shares how bringing his own humour and personality into his marketing helps the right people connect with him. Some people won't like it, and he's comfortable with that. In this clip, we explore: 00:55 Why industry best practices can make your marketing blend in. 02:00 How fear of judgement stops businesses trying something different. 03:00 Why believing in your work comes with a responsibility to get it noticed. 03:35 How being yourself can help you attract the right customers. If you've ever dismissed a marketing idea because "that's not how things are done in our industry", this conversation is worth a listen. Watch the full episode with Mike Michalowicz on ScaleX Insider. ScaleX with Us Free Diagnostic - Score Your Business Across the 10 principles of Scaling: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/scalex-10p-scaling-diagnostic ScaleX Accelerator (over £3M revenue)- Register Here: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/sx-programme-application ScaleX Elevate (under £3M revenue) - Register Here: https://simplescaling.com/solutions/scalexelevate-scale-up-coaching/ Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business Website: https://simplescaling.com Email: hello@simplescaling.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simple-scaling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simple_scaling Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@simplescaling
- 1 weeks ago1 min
[ScaleX Bite-Size] Scaling vs Growing: Achieve More with Less Effort | Mike Michalowicz- The Philosophy of Scaling and Mike's Journey
Your business is getting bigger. But if every step forward needs more of your time and effort, are you actually scaling? In this clip from ScaleX Insider, Mike Michalowicz shares a simple distinction: growth means achieving more through more effort. Scaling means achieving more through less effort. Speaking with Brendan McGurgan, Mike explains how he applies this to his own business. Having once written and marketed his books himself, he now trains others to deliver his keynotes—reaching more people without needing to be on every stage. In this clip, we explore: 00:00 The difference between scaling and growing. 00:18 Getting clear on your purpose and who you serve. 00:43 Creating more impact with less personal involvement. 01:03 Training others to deliver Mike's keynotes. 01:27 Brendan introduces Simon Sinek's endorsement of Mike. What could your business achieve without needing more of your time? Watch the full episode with Mike Michalowicz on ScaleX Insider. ScaleX with Us Free Diagnostic - Score Your Business Across the 10 principles of Scaling: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/scalex-10p-scaling-diagnostic ScaleX Accelerator (over £3M revenue)- Register Here: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/sx-programme-application ScaleX Elevate (under £3M revenue) - Register Here: https://simplescaling.com/solutions/scalexelevate-scale-up-coaching/ Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business Website: https://simplescaling.com Email: hello@simplescaling.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simple-scaling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simple_scaling Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@simplescaling
- 1 weeks ago44 min
[REPLAY - from the archive] Mike Michalowicz - Marketing Differentiation: How to Get Noticed
Marketing differentiation can feel uncomfortable when you're used to doing what everyone else in your industry does. You know your business does good work. Your customers value what you offer. But getting more people to notice you can still feel like an uphill struggle. So what do you do? Follow what others in your industry are doing? Spend more on the same marketing? Or try something different, even if it feels uncomfortable? In this episode of ScaleX Insider, Brendan McGurgan speaks with Mike Michalowicz, author of Profit First, Clockwork and Get Different, about why so much marketing goes unnoticed and what business leaders can do about it. Mike shares his DAD framework—Differentiate, Attract and Direct—and explains how to catch someone's attention, give them a reason to stay interested and make the next step clear. He also talks about finding a way to stand out that feels natural to you, rather than feeling you have to put on a performance. The conversation gets into the practical decisions too: how to test an idea before spending heavily, what to measure and when to question your own judgement. Mike shares how one of his teams was ready to tackle a customer retention problem, until the numbers showed that the real issue was converting new customers. In this episode, we explore: 00:00 Welcome and introduction 02:00 The difference between growing and scaling 04:10 Mike's friendship with Simon Sinek 07:00 Why fear holds back your marketing 12:00 The DAD framework: Differentiate, Attract and Direct 21:00 How to stand out while staying true to yourself 25:00 Understanding your customers: who, what and win 29:00 Testing marketing ideas before investing heavily 34:30 Measuring results and challenging your assumptions 38:30 Making personal customer engagement scalable 40:30 Mike's three timeless takeaways 43:30 Where to connect with Mike and closing thoughts Mike closes with three timeless takeaways on asking for help, staying true to yourself and knowing what size business you actually want to build. If you've ever held back a marketing idea because you were worried about what people might think, there's plenty here to take into your next team conversation. Connect with Mike: https://mikemichalowicz.com ScaleX with Us Free Diagnostic - Score Your Business Across the 10 principles of Scaling: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/scalex-10p-scaling-diagnostic ScaleX Accelerator (over £3M revenue)- Register Here: https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/sx-programme-application ScaleX Elevate (under £3M revenue) - Register Here: https://simplescaling.com/solutions/scalexelevate-scale-up-coaching/ Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business Website: https://simplescaling.com Email: hello@simplescaling.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simple-scaling Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simple_scaling Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@simplescaling
- 2 weeks ago6 min
[ScaleX Bite-Size] SME Leadership Lessons: Stand Out, Meet Better, Lead Calmly with Claire Colvin
SME leadership lessons become useful when you can put them into practice. In this clip from the ScaleX Insider Season 21 wrap-up, Brendan McGurgan and Claire Colvin revisit Guy Kawasaki's framework for creating a product or service that is both unique and valuable, Stephen Rogelberg's advice on better meetings, and JL Holdsworth's insights on how we respond to pressure. Claire also shares what she wants to bring into Simple Scaling's own team, from turning meeting agendas into questions to agreeing which business problems AI could help solve. Practical reflections for SME leaders looking to strengthen their proposition, make meetings more productive and lead with greater calm. Scaling your business brings plenty of questions. Are your meetings helping people move forward? Where could AI make a useful difference? And how do you keep learning while managing the demands of leadership? In this Season 21 wrap-up of ScaleX Insider, Brendan McGurgan and his business partner, Claire Colvin, revisit the guests, conversations and practical insights that stood out across the season. For SME leaders with full diaries and ambitious plans, there is plenty to take back into the business. From Stephen Rogelberg's insights on better meetings to Paul Cheek's guidance on exploring and implementing AI, Brendan and Claire reflect on ideas that can help leaders rethink how they spend their time and approach growth. They also look back on Brendan's conversation with Silicon Valley legend Guy Kawasaki—a guest whose work first influenced him 26 years ago, while he was helping to scale a software company. Getting Guy onto the podcast took 18 months, several reschedules and one memorable misunderstanding about "PT". In this episode: Brendan and Claire share their reflections on Season 21 and its variety of guests. They revisit practical lessons on meetings, AI and leadership. Claire explains why the season's actionable advice stood out to her. Brendan shares the personal significance of interviewing Guy Kawasaki. They introduce two ways SME leaders can build the clarity, capability and community to scale with purpose. Whether you have followed the whole season or are looking for a place to start, join Brendan and Claire for a look back at conversations worth revisiting. Ready to take the next step in scaling your business? ScaleX / Simple Scaling 📊 Free Diagnostic – Score Your Business Across the 10 Principles of Scaling https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/scalex-10p-scaling-diagnostic ⚡ ScaleX Accelerator (over £3M revenue) – Register Here https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/sx-programme-application 🚀 ScaleX Elevate (under £3M revenue) – Register Here https://simplescaling.com/solutions/scalexelevate-scale-up-coaching/ 📘 Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business 🌐 Website https://simplescaling.com ✉️ Email hello@simplescaling.com 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/simple-scaling 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/simple_scaling ▶️ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@simplescaling Host: Brendan McGurgan Guest: Claire Colvin If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with another business leader.
- 2 weeks ago4 min
[ScaleX Bite-Size] AI for SMEs: What Problem Are You Trying to Solve with Claire Colvin
AI for SMEs starts with a clear question: what problem are you trying to solve? In this clip from the ScaleX Insider Season 21 wrap-up, Brendan McGurgan and Claire Colvin reflect on Paul Cheek's advice on adopting AI. Claire shares how her own frustrations with technology have shaped her approach, and why identifying three to five business challenges with the team could give AI experimentation a useful focus. A practical conversation for SME leaders looking to reduce operational friction, improve customer experience and give their teams a clear place to start with AI. Scaling your business brings plenty of questions. Are your meetings helping people move forward? Where could AI make a useful difference? And how do you keep learning while managing the demands of leadership? In this Season 21 wrap-up of ScaleX Insider, Brendan McGurgan and his business partner, Claire Colvin, revisit the guests, conversations and practical insights that stood out across the season. For SME leaders with full diaries and ambitious plans, there is plenty to take back into the business. From Stephen Rogelberg's insights on better meetings to Paul Cheek's guidance on exploring and implementing AI, Brendan and Claire reflect on ideas that can help leaders rethink how they spend their time and approach growth. They also look back on Brendan's conversation with Silicon Valley legend Guy Kawasaki—a guest whose work first influenced him 26 years ago, while he was helping to scale a software company. Getting Guy onto the podcast took 18 months, several reschedules and one memorable misunderstanding about "PT". In this episode: Brendan and Claire share their reflections on Season 21 and its variety of guests. They revisit practical lessons on meetings, AI and leadership. Claire explains why the season's actionable advice stood out to her. Brendan shares the personal significance of interviewing Guy Kawasaki. They introduce two ways SME leaders can build the clarity, capability and community to scale with purpose. Whether you have followed the whole season or are looking for a place to start, join Brendan and Claire for a look back at conversations worth revisiting. Ready to take the next step in scaling your business? ScaleX / Simple Scaling 📊 Free Diagnostic – Score Your Business Across the 10 Principles of Scaling https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/scalex-10p-scaling-diagnostic ⚡ ScaleX Accelerator (over £3M revenue) – Register Here https://scalexaccelerator.simplescaling.com/sx-programme-application 🚀 ScaleX Elevate (under £3M revenue) – Register Here https://simplescaling.com/solutions/scalexelevate-scale-up-coaching/ 📘 Book: Simple Scaling: 10 Proven Principles to 10x Your Business 🌐 Website https://simplescaling.com ✉️ Email hello@simplescaling.com 💼 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/simple-scaling 📸 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/simple_scaling ▶️ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@simplescaling Host: Brendan McGurgan Guest: Claire Colvin If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with another business leader.
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About ScaleX Insider Podcast
My name is Brendan McGurgan and I am immersed in the world of scaleup businesses. In 2020, myself and business partner Claire Colvin co-founded Simple Scaling with the sole purpose of inspiring and enabling millions of ambitious leaders to scale with purpose. Over the past two years we have researched and examined our success and the success of those who have 'been there and done it' to create the 10 Principles of Scaling which is enshrined in our ScaleX™ Framework. As an extension of this we have created the ScaleX™ Insider Podcast.Every week I will be having fascinating conversations with authors, change makers and business leaders on one or more of the ScaleX™ Principles to support you on your journey to success. I believe passionately in business scaleup and most importantly the wellbeing of you - the aspirational scaleup leader. New episodes on Wednesdays. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts, and please rate, review and share the podcast if you enjoy it. For more information go
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