Scale To Win with Dominic Monkhouse
Business & Finance
About
Wide awake at 3am, wondering how your business turned from a 15-person rocket into an 80-person rollercoaster? Hit play. This show is for founder CEOs who want practical wins, not platitudes. Every fortnight, Dominic Monkhouse - who scaled two UK tech firms to £30m+ in five years (twice) - grills people who’ve actually done it: operators, battle-scarred founders, and experts who cut through noise. You’ll learn techniques that stop fires, speed up decisions, and give you time back. What you’ll get: field-tested methods that will all contribute to one of three vital goals – freeing up your time, building a leadership team that can lead without you, and installing systems that you can be sure will work. No recycled LinkedIn fluff. No crappy ‘inspiration’. Just clear actions you can run this week. Why listen now? Because growth shouldn’t mean chaos. Twelve of Dom’s clients have exited. His 2-Day-a-Week CEO Blueprint shows leaders how to make sure they spend their time doing things that ONLY they can do - not covering tasks that could be done by others. He coaches scale-ups, writes books people actually read, and asks the questions you wish investors would. If you’re stuck between “we’re onto something” and “this might kill me,” this is your edge: honest stories, hard numbers, and repeatable systems to build a business you’re proud of - without losing yourself along the way. Grab a notebook, and hit follow so the next time you’re staring at the ceiling at stupid o’clock, you’ve got a plan - and a playbook - waiting in your ears.
Episodes
- Former Hostage Negotiator Reveals Business Secrets & Negotiation Tactics | E366
Scott Walker, a former hostage negotiator with a 100% success rate over 20 years, shares business and negotiation tactics. He discusses managing conflict, the importance of empathy in negotiations, and building resilience through difficult…
- How to Spot Leaders Who Will Scale (Look for This, Not Confidence) | E365
This episode features entrepreneur Luke Tobin discussing how self-doubt and imposter syndrome can indicate growth. He shares insights on why failure is a superior business school to an MBA, common agency scaling pitfalls, effective hiring…
- Most People Overcomplicate Leadership (Here's What Actually Works) | E364
Paul Adamson, drawing from his experience sailing yachts and rebuilding Oyster Yachts, discusses leadership beyond theory. He highlights making decisions with incomplete information, managing one's state through focus, inner dialogue, and…
- The 80/20 Deal Structure: Why I Never Buy Businesses Outright | E363
Lee Smith shares his journey from South London to leading multiple mergers and acquisitions, advocating for the 80/20 deal structure where 100% business purchase is often detrimental. He emphasizes the importance of the right people in key…
- Think Big, Get Big: The Goal-Setting Strategy That Changes Everything | E362
Eric Partaker explains that work-life satisfaction is more realistic than balance, and setting ambitious 10X goals drives necessary identity changes for success. He also contrasts cultural views on ambition in the US, UK, and Norway.
- Why Hiring for Skills Is Dead (Look for This Instead) | Alex Cooper | E361
Alex Cooper argues that formal education and skills-based hiring are becoming obsolete. He advocates for hiring agile 'polymaths' and discusses how generative AI and 'synthetic audiences' can revolutionize business decision-making and test…
- Founder Bottlenecks, Leadership Lessons, & Scaling Without Chaos | E360
Steve Phillips, founder of Zappi, shares insights on entrepreneurship, innovation, and scaling. He discusses how Zappi transformed market research using AI and strategies for growing revenue without increasing headcount by leveraging AI fo…
- Why Leadership Teams Fail To Change (And How To Fix It) | E359
Gerry Tombs explains that companies often use being "too busy" as an excuse to avoid AI, when they are actually fearful. He predicts that within two years, AI agents will work alongside humans in hybrid teams, and discusses how the millenn…
- You’re Not Behind: My System For Leveraging AI In 2026 | E358
Nick Holzherr shares his system for leveraging AI in 2026, focusing on scaling distributed teams and the potential of AI agents like Gitlaw to make legal services accessible. He advocates for async as the default operating system and highl…
- If You're A Founder, You Can't Ignore This Shift In 2026 | E357
Mark Jankovich argues that entrepreneurs must lead a systemic reset, not incremental change, particularly concerning climate action. He questions current messaging and consumer burdens, advocating for the removal of harmful products and in…
- $100M Exit at 37: What They Don't Tell You About Selling Your Business | E356
Andrew Hulbert discusses his path from humble beginnings to achieving a £100 million business exit at 37. He shares insights on bootstrapping a £50M turnover business with no external funding, the realities of work-life balance during scal…
- From 75% to World's Best: The Legacy System Behind 125 Years of Dominance | E355
This episode features James Kerr discussing leadership and culture, using the All Blacks' "Sweeping the Shed" mantra as a case study for sustainable success in business and other domains. Key themes include the role of values, rituals, and…
- Stop Wasting Time: My 3-Step Framework To Master AI In 2026 | E354
Kit Cox discusses a 3-step framework for mastering AI in service businesses, focusing on service delivery stages, the critical role of company culture, and building customer relationships through honesty. He also touches on hiring strategi…
- Scaling a startup when every customer is high-risk | Shelley Copsey | E353
Shelley Copsey, CEO of FYLD, discusses scaling a company in high-risk industries by prioritizing adoption, clarity, and tempo. She covers making work visible, removing friction, earning trust, and evolving leadership during growth, offerin…
- "Every founder becomes the bottleneck - until they fix the system" with Steve Salvin from Aiimi | E352
Steve Salvin, founder and CEO of Aiimi, shares insights on the common failures of enterprise AI projects due to messy data and organizational challenges. He explains the difference between AI tools, the importance of culture over technolog…
- Dan Williams: How Optimism, Grit and Vulnerability Built a £30M Business | E351
In Scale To Win E351, Dan Williams shares how optimism, grit, and vulnerability fueled Orean Personal Care's growth from £3M to £30M. He discusses leadership through chaos, maintaining culture during expansion, and the impact of endurance…
- How to Stop Wasting Money on AI (and Start Mining Gold) with WPP's Daniel Hulme | E350
In Scale To Win E350, Dominic Monkhouse speaks with Daniel Hulme, Chief AI Officer at WPP, about differentiating true AI from automation. They discuss misinvestments in generative tools, WPP's use of AI in creativity, and the future of ada…
- E349 | Fundraising Playbook: Process, Pitfalls & Power Plays with Paul Archer (Duel), Jo Saxby (Spruce) & John Readman (ASK BOSCO®)
This episode features a panel of three founders—Paul Archer, Jo Saxby, and John Readman—who share their experiences closing funding rounds in the UK. They discuss the practicalities of fundraising, including managing the process, avoiding…
- E348 | “We’re going to replace our own business with AI”: Aytekin Tank on Scaling to 700 Employees & 35M+ Users
Aytekin Tank, founder and CEO of Jotform, shares how he grew his company to 700 employees and over 35 million users by embracing AI. He explains Jotform's strategy of proactively replacing its own business with AI and how AI customer-servi…
- E347 | "It's about solving problems": James Peach on scaling culture, brand marketing & customer obsession
James Peach shares insights on customer obsession and its role in brand marketing, emphasizing its power to shape buyer perceptions and drive growth. He highlights the importance of measuring brand impact and the collaboration between bran…
- E346 | Scaling Culture, Velocity & AI in HR Tech with Phil Coxon
Phil Coxon, MD of Breathe, Elmo UK, and RotorGeek, discusses scaling HR tech businesses through growth, acquisition, and AI. He shares lessons on sales strategy, company culture, AI deployment with Gemini, and navigating regulation, drawin…
- E345 | From CPO to Chief Venture Officer: Building AI-First Products That Actually Work with Ivo Dimitrov
Ivo Dimitrov shares insights on building AI-first products, from his transition to Chief Venture Officer to the importance of orchestrating AI models over building them. The episode covers proactive AI agents, conversational UI, and the va…
- E344 | Achieving Peak Performance Through Mindset and AI with Dr. Jon Finn
Dr. Jon Finn, author of "The Habit Mechanic," explores the integration of AI into behavioural science and habit formation, discussing brain states and the future of human-AI collaboration for peak performance.
- E343 | Hacking Your Way to Success : Lessons from “Scrappy Organisations” with Paulo Savaget
Paulo Savaget, an Oxford Associate Professor, joins Dominic Monkhouse on Scale To Win to discuss lessons from 'scrappy organisations'. He explains how these entities use innovative strategies like piggybacking on existing systems and navig…
- E342 | Curious Leadership Live @ the CEO Summit 2025
A live panel recorded at the CEO Summit 2025 discusses how AI is driving business productivity and innovation. Experts Neil Marley, Kevin Bradley, Pedro Arriaga, and John Readman share insights on AI adoption, strategic shifts, and prepari…
- E341 | Achieving Global Success Through Employee Happiness with Elaine Jobson, CEO of Jetts Fitness
Elaine Jobson, CEO of Jetts Fitness, shares insights on achieving global success by prioritizing employee happiness and implementing a Net Promoter Score philosophy. She discusses customer feedback, empowering staff, the brand's growth, an…
- E340 | Integrating AI & Automation Without Sacrificing Personal Customer Service with Joseph Michelli
Joseph Michelli shares strategies for businesses to integrate AI and automation while preserving exceptional customer service and fostering loyalty. The episode covers emotional connection, customer journeys, and innovative healthcare serv…
- E339 | From Founder-Led to Scalable: Sales Lessons with James Dawson & Richard Doherty
James Dawson and Richard Doherty share expertise on transitioning from founder-led sales to scalable sales operations, emphasizing proven methodologies over relationship-driven sales in the fintech industry.
- E338 | Private Equity Exposed: Myths, Realities, and Winning Strategies with Mike Hicks from Catalysis
Mike Hicks discusses private equity in mid-market firms, clarifying myths around investor-management interactions and highlighting the importance of coachability and partnership. The episode covers private equity's role in business growth,…
- E337 | Health, Habits & High Performance: Redefining Work Life Balance with Kat Thorne
Kat Thorne, a speaker on positive habits, shares her journey from burnout to helping others make small habit changes for improved well-being and performance. The episode discusses the impact of small changes on personal and professional li…
- E336 | Transforming Leadership: The Shift to Teamship with Keith Ferrazzi
In episode E336 of Scale To Win, host Dominic Monkhouse interviews Keith Ferrazzi, author and coach, about the concept of "teamship." They explore moving from traditional leadership to shared responsibility, the importance of candour over…
- E335 | Turning up the Saas: How productising helped David Hart create an 8 figure business
David Hart discusses his transition from a service-based agency to a successful SaaS business, ScreenCloud, which achieved 8 figures in ARR within six years. The episode covers strategies for productizing services, scaling SaaS businesses,…
- E334 | Respond, don't react! Empathy: a strategic advantage for leaders with Maria Ross
Maria Ross, author and strategist, explains how empathy can be a strategic advantage for leaders. She details the five pillars of empathetic leadership—self-awareness, self-care, clarity, decisiveness, and joy—and discusses balancing empat…
- E333 | The art of competitive advantage with top 30 global thinker Kaihan Krippendorff
In episode E333, Kaihan Krippendorff explores the distinction between strategic planning and true strategy, emphasizing the growing importance of proximity in value creation. The discussion covers how businesses can innovate closer to the…
- E332 | Turning a 75% win rate into 86%: Leadership strategies with James Kerr
James Kerr, author of "Legacy," shares leadership and cultural evolution strategies for high-performing teams, discussing the All Blacks' "Sweeping the Shed" mantra and the role of values and rituals in business and life.
- E331 | Winning Strategies from Sports to Business with Ben Hunt-Davis
Ben Hunt-Davis, an Olympic gold medalist and author, shares insights on achieving team alignment, purpose, and success, drawing parallels between his rowing career and business strategies. The discussion covers feedback, trust, clear commu…
- E330 | Mastering Efficient Meetings with Chris Fenning
Chris Fenning, an expert in communication, discusses transforming workplace communication, focusing on efficient meetings with clear agendas and participant empowerment. The episode covers impactful updates, email effectiveness, and levera…
- E329 | Challenging the Traditional Sales Approach with the UK's Most Hated Sales Trainer, Benjamin Dennehy
Benjamin Dennehy discusses his unconventional sales approach, emphasizing meaningful conversations, prospect motivation, and effective training. He challenges traditional methods, highlights the importance of confidence and control, and ex…
- E328 | Mastering RevOps: Insights from Industry Leaders (UPGRADE’24 Panel Discussion)
This episode features a panel from the UPGRADE’24 conference discussing Revenue Operations (RevOps). Experts Michelle Hulse, Paweł Nicał, and host Dominic Monkhouse explore how aligning sales, marketing, and finance, using strategies like…
- E327 | Psychopaths in Business with Kevin Dutton
This episode features psychologist Kevin Dutton discussing cognitive flexibility and adaptability in business. Dutton, an expert on psychopathy, shares insights on "precision-engineered psychopathy," the benefits of certain traits in profe…
- E326 | The Happiness Index for a Thriving Workplace with Matt Phelan
Matt Phelan, co-founder of The Happiness Index, shares insights on measuring workplace emotions and employee happiness, challenging traditional business metrics. He emphasizes the link between employee well-being and business performance,…
- E325 | How Competent Managers Enhance Workplace Efficiency with Farley Thomas
Farley Thomas, CEO of Manageable, shares insights on how competent managers improve organizational efficiency. The episode contrasts traditional training with practical skill development, emphasizing practice and continuous learning for ea…
- E324 | From NFL to Venture Capitalist with Marques Colston
Marques Colston, ex-NFL player, shares his journey into venture capital with Champion Venture Partners, focusing on sports value chain investments. He discusses building resilience, team dynamics, and democratizing investment opportunities.
- E323 | Curating Psychological Safety with Minette Norman
In this episode, Minette Norman, author and leadership consultant, explores psychological safety and debunks leadership myths, sharing insights from her books on creating inclusive and productive work environments.
- E322 | Revenue is Vanity, Profit is Sanity and Cash is King: Lessons with Alan Miltz
Alan Miltz, financial expert, shares insights on business scaling and cash flow optimization, covering working capital, pricing, and the impact of incremental improvements. He explains The Magic Number 200 and provides book recommendations…
- E321 | Mastering the Art of Business Exits with Nick Bradley
Nick Bradley shares insights on private equity, business exits, and common entrepreneurial mistakes. He emphasizes leadership, growth strategies, and understanding customer concentration for business valuation and a successful transition t…
- E320 | How to Win the War on Talent & Get Through Any Crisis with Jade Green
Jade Green explains how to achieve sustainable business growth by addressing recruitment challenges and fostering a positive company culture. The episode covers strategies for attracting and retaining top talent, interviewing effectively,…
- E319 | From Know-It-Alls to Learn-It-Alls with Dan Pontefract
Dan Pontefract and Dominic Monkhouse explore emotional intelligence, culture transformation, and the shift from "know-it-alls" to "learn-it-alls" in leadership, emphasizing curiosity and a human-centric approach.
- E318 | Lessons from Bad Managers with Ben Arendt
Dominic Monkhouse and author Ben Arendt discuss effective management strategies, emphasizing understanding team members, fostering trust and autonomy, and prioritizing mental wellbeing. They share lessons learned from both positive and neg…
- E317 | The Power of Owning the Flow of Information with Ted McKenna
Ted McKenna discusses high-performing sales behaviors, buyer indecision, and the necessity for sellers to own the information flow and establish trust. Key takeaways include understanding buyer fears, making firm recommendations, and adapt…