The Impact Multiplier CEO

Why would an entrepreneur decide that hiring C-grade students is the way forward?Today Richard speaks with Aditya Siripragada, founder of Fountane. Fountane is digital product studio and venture lab changing the traditional consulting model, with 125 people across US and India. The company doubled revenue annually for 6 years and won the Inc. Top 5000 award in 2024.In this conversation, you’ll learn:The mindset advantage that C-grade students bring to the table (and that A-grade students don't)How and why Fountaine moved away from a pure consulting modelThe one-line reframe that helped Aditya see the true opportunity and reinvent the business.The two "Ds" that help you discern "founder/market fit" and likely future success.Resources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Fountane (https://www.fountane.com/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/aditya-siripragada

Rebecca Harrison, the mastermind behind the African Management Institute, discusses her journey transforming business education across Africa. She challenges the notion of needing a 'superpower' to be an effective CEO and emphasizes nurturing middle management. With insights from her decade-long experience, she shares practical tips on promoting ownership over obedience. The conversation highlights the importance of adaptable leadership and aligning financial success with social impact, offering a fresh perspective on what it truly means to lead.

How can you build a business that is genuinely global on day one? How do you set up marketing, sales, delivery, recruitment and operations when your local market is not going to be your largest market, and where you want customers to come from anywhere?Today Richard speaks with Fred Plais, co-founder and CEO of Platform.sh, a leading, VC funded Platform-as-a-service for building, running, scaling web applications. In this conversation, you’ll learn:The critical early decisions that enabled the business to go global from day 1Why Platform.sh limits employment to only 12 countries, despite being 100% remoteThe process innovations that have allowed Platform.sh to successfully operate a remote-first cultureThe big mistake Fred made when needing to accelerate profitability... and what happenedResources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Platform.sh (https://platform.sh/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/fred-plaisTimestamps: 00:00 Intro06:01 Building global businesses10:14 Finding great talents outside major hubs13:56 The new remote work paradigm21:58 Distributed global teams ensure 24/7 customer support.26:52 Ensuring cultural fit, clear goals, and remote work.31:24 In-person meetings enhance problem-solving and collaboration.36:09 Reducing cloud app carbon emissions, efficiently.41:29 Focus on future strategy, not micromanage tasks.

How can you keep lean and efficient despite hyper growth?Welcome to The Impact Multiplier CEO, helping you to 10X your financials, 10X your positive impact and 10X the fun you have along the way! Today Richard Medcalf is speaking with Toms Jurjevs, Founder and CEO of Sun Finance, a 1200-person strong business that was recently recognised as the No.1 fastest-growing fintech in Europe by The Financial Times.Toms shares the story of Sun Finance's incredible growth, expanding into 12 international markets and delivering billions in loans.In this conversation, you’ll learn:How Toms minimises bureaucracy and keeps the business agileThe three interrelated elements that Tom keeps a permanent focus on, in order to manage hyper growth without bloatThe "Eagle Strategy" for avoiding micromanagement whilst staying on top of the detailsHow Toms expanded to 12 International MarketsResources/sources mentioned:Sun Finance https://sunfinance.groupThe Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast (https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/toms-jurjevs Timestamps:00:00 Intro06:30 Why you should focus on efficiency.07:25 Spend wisely; avoid comfort and bureaucracy.16:17 Success leads to comfort18:34 Fear of mistakes leads to avoiding action.20:55 Use calls and WhatsApp instead of emails.24:59 Maximize growth potential without comfort zone complacency.31:43 Balancing oversight and action in SunFinance operations.

How can you avoid the common mistakes CEOs make as they scale from £0M to £15M?Today we find out. Richard speaks to Peter Busby, founder of professional services company Grayce that he scaled scaled to £15M in 7 years with 240 people. Peter shares his insights on building a successful business. We’ll explore everything from the lean startup approach and scaling challenges to maintaining growth and the critical need for self-awareness as a leader. We'll also delve into the collaborative mindset that fueled Grace’s success and the pragmatic approach Peter took in hiring, often trusting gut instincts over polished interviews.In this conversation, you’ll learn:The specific mindset you need for success as a founderThe two foundational elements - often skipped over - that are key to building a successful business.The different phases of business growth, how to succeed and what to avoid at each stage.Recruitment during scalingLeadership changes during steady growth phasesImportance of mentors and support systemsOvercoming self-doubt and comfort zonesThinking big and recognizing growth opportunitiesResources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Grayce (https://www.grayce.co.uk/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/peter-busby

How do you grow a business that is so innovative it changes how your entire ecosystem needs to work?Today Richard speaks with Karl Andersson, Founder of Matsmart-Motatos, one of Europe's fastest-growing companies according to the Financial Times with a consistent annual growth of some 70%.Matsmart-Motatos is aiding the sustainable reform of the food system by allowing customers to buy products that would otherwise be discarded due to reasons like changes in packaging, seasons or best-before dates. In this conversation, you’ll learn:How Karl identified the business opportunity The difficulties of pioneering a new business model - and how Karl overcome thoseHow Karl built the necessary trust with logistics partners and suppliersThe very different mindset that Karl looks for in his sales teamLeadership skills that Karl aquired along the wayResources/sources mentioned:https://motatos.comThe Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast (https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/karl-andersson Timestamps:00:00 Intro04:48 How to solve the food waste issue.08:18 Using third-party logistics to overcome challenges.12:06 How can LinkedIn build relationships effectively.15:49 Partnering with major FMCG corporations.19:28 Growing in new markets requires strategic scaling efforts.23:54 Communication, trust, targets, not detailed OKRs - success.29:13 Carl pioneers impactful business tackling food waste.30:53 Leave a review, visit xquadrant.com for support.

What are the skills you'll need to develop in your business, in an AI world?This is the question Richard explores with today's guest. Tim Smeaton is the CEO and Co-Founder of Kubrick Group, a company that helps organizations realise the value of data, AI, and cloud technology. In this conversation, you’ll learn:Why Tim recommends you "ignore amazing opportunities."How Tim identified a structural problem to solve with his business - and the results he got.The potential impact of AI on technology spend, customer service, and decision-making.What skills you'll need to thrive as AI ramps up.Resources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Kubrick Group (https://www.kubrickgroup.com/us/)https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-smeaton-424929Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making Time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/tim-smeaton Timestamps: 00:00 Intro04:28 Analytical approach to problem-solving11:43 Addressing skills gap by training in data17:08 Consulting firm offers great value and benefits20:08 Organizations lag in adopting AI 25:12 World Economic Forum highlights33:43 Concerns about the future marketplace and business models36:44 Expand digital areas, diverse training, impact measurement40:16 Hiring and managing a larger team effectively

That's what Richard Medcalf explores with Michael Riedl, the CEO of Team Internet. The business was founded in 1996 as a web services company distributing domain names, until Michael led a strategic charge to double-down on new solutions including online marketing.In this conversation, you’ll learn:The story of how they acquired 17 businesses in 4 yearsThe 'business model epiphany' that led to a dramatic reinventionHow the business geared up to scale fastHow Michael dismantled the silos that the M&A strategy had createdThe 3-phase roadmap that guided Michael's strategic thinkingResources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Visit Michael Riedl here: https://www.mr.ceo/Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/michael-riedl

In this conversation, you’ll learn:How Logan (and Richard) relate business and faithHow to 'wow' people and build a powerful network of 6000 people (it's simple, but not always easy)The three big decisions everybody needs to addressHow Logan has built a culture of excellence that resulted in a Net Promoter Score "so high its almost unbelievable" (according to the consultancy who measured it!)How to invest in key outputs to create differentiationResources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Kernel Global (https://www.kernel-global.com/) Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/logan-naiduTimestamps:00:00 Intro04:21 Embracing holistic identity and faith in workplace.07:33 Christian values and their practical challenges.13:30 Balancing faith and business in building networks.18:01 Maintaining startup hunger in a growing business.22:25 Client praises consultant for exceptional service and loyalty.27:46 "Balancing casual and dialed-in interactions consistently."32:35 Daily routines for self-improvement and productivity.39:39 Desire for growth, serving shareholders and employees.42:57 Focusing on faith, culture, and excellence.44:29 Leave a review, and check out the show notes.

Björn Thorngren, CEO of MEDS, shares insights on identifying potential in the pharmaceutical sector, building consumer preference against competition, underestimating financial plans, lessons from co-founder resignation, and future goals. Topics include transitioning to online, creating brand recognition, challenges in reaching new customers, and strategies for business growth and market disruption.