Strive and Thrive

Scaling a business often feels like riding a rollercoaster, thrilling, but full of sharp turns and emotional highs and lows. Leaders face the challenge of sustaining momentum without losing strategic focus.  Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Raj Thiruchelvarajah as they discuss the challenges business leaders face when scaling up a business.  Subscribe and follow us for m...

AI alone won’t grow your sales. Technology is a powerful enabler, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Yes, AI can streamline operations, uncover data-driven insights, and automate marketing, but it cannot replace the human touch that builds trust, understands customer needs, and forges lasting relationships. Without a clear sales strategy, a strong product or service, and consistent customer en...

Bullying in business is a hard truth that often goes unspoken, yet its impact is profound. It can show up subtly through exclusion, manipulation, or intimidation, or overtly, in toxic leadership or cutthroat competition. Left unchecked, it erodes trust, stifles innovation, and drives talented people away.  Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Frances Holmes as they discuss t...

Women entrepreneurs often face significant challenges including securing funding due to biases in venture capital, navigating a male-dominated business network which can limit mentorship and opportunities, and balancing intense professional demands with persistent societal expectations for domestic responsibilities.  Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Debbie Gilbert as the...

Businesses struggle to pinpoint the true value of time because it's often an abstract concept tied to opportunity cost and a complex web of interconnected processes.  The challenge lies in identifying which activities are truly value-adding versus those that are simply consuming time without contributing to the bottom line. Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam , Mike Oliver and guest speaker David Ki...

Good processes in business often face the challenge of balancing efficiency with adaptability. While structured processes can drive consistency, scalability, and quality, they can also become rigid and hinder innovation if not regularly updated. In a fast-changing market, businesses must continuously refine their operations to stay competitive without sacrificing reliability.  Join Romesh Jeyaseel...

Innovating in safety-critical industries, such as aerospace, healthcare, or nuclear energy, presents significant challenges due to the high stakes involved. Any failure can result in severe harm to people, the environment, or national infrastructure, leading to an inherently risk-averse culture. Regulatory frameworks are often stringent and slow to adapt, making it difficult to implement new techn...

Many have either had a bad experience with a middle manager, or had a bad experience being a middle manager - or both. Middle managers are often sandwiched between the pressure from senior leadership and the demands of the team. So, why does this happen and how can we address this?   Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, Mike Oliver and guest speaker Lisa Robyn Wood as they discuss why middle management s...

Finding alignment between the individual and the idea can be challenging because it requires honest self-reflection, clarity of purpose, and sometimes uncomfortable change. Individuals may struggle to distinguish their true values from external expectations, or they may find that an idea they admire conflicts with their personal needs or limitations. Fear of judgment, failure, or letting go of fam...

Transitioning from a solopreneur to an entrepreneur comes with several challenges, the most significant being the shift from doing everything alone to building and managing a team. As a solopreneur, you're used to full control, but as an entrepreneur, delegation becomes essential requiring trust, leadership skills, and effective communication.  Join Romesh, Mike and guest speaker Jose Trujill...

Strive & Thrive co-host Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam is celebrating the fifth anniversary of the founding of The FD Consultant!  Join Romesh and Mike as Romesh reflects on his last 5 years as a founder and shares what he has learned. ------------ Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – wh...

Securing investment for startups and SMEs is highly individualised. Angel investment, venture capital, loans, and grants - there's no "one size fits all." The best fit depends on industry, business model, and founder vision, demanding a tailored approach for sustainable growth. Join ⁠Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam⁠ , ⁠Mike Oliver⁠ and guest speaker ⁠Sid Vasili⁠ as they discuss the investor...

Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam , Mike Oliver , and Alexander Preece as they discuss how founders and business leaders can turn their expertise into opportunity-driving personal brands. ------------ Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses that achieve success – whether it be in people, planet, and profit – or all...

Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam and Mike Oliver as they discuss with guest speaker Kimberley Abbott about her experience founding and running her impact-led business, Vested Impact, the challenges she's faced and what she's learned on the journey. ------------ Strive & Thrive is a series of live discussions with the aim of enabling and empowering entrepreneurs in building businesses tha...

Founders and leaders in SMEs often grapple with a unique set of hurdles, from securing the right funding and building a robust team to navigating operational complexities and maintaining their core vision amidst rapid growth. Join Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam , Mike Oliver , and guest speaker Kate Mercer as they delve into the key challenges SME founders face when trying to scale their businesses and o...

The entrepreneurship journey is a deeply personal and human experience, shaped by the interplay of individual drive and the supportive or challenging presence of others. The human element, with its inherent complexities and connections, is what ultimately defines the highs and lows of building a business. Join Mike Oliver and Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam as they discuss the human element of entrepreneu...

Many founders exiting a business grapple with preserving their legacy and ensuring the well-being of their employees. An Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) offers a compelling alternative to a traditional sale, addressing these concerns. EOTs are a form of indirect employee ownership where a trust holds the shares on the employees' behalf. This trust ensures the business's continued independ...

As entrepreneurs delve into the world of AI, they face a complex web of challenges such as understanding AI's true potential and limitations within their specific business context, navigating ethical considerations, and identifying the intersection between humans and AI. Entrepreneurs can no longer afford to ignore AI, or they risk falling behind. Join Mike Oliver (Founder of Easol), Romesh J...

Businesses today face a complex and dynamic future. Rapid technological advancements, evolving consumer expectations, and increasing competition require businesses to be agile, adaptable, and forward thinking. Join Mike Oliver, Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam, and guest speaker Matthew Mullan as they explore how entrepreneurs can look to the future to shape the present, enabling businesses to better striv...

Building the right network is a game-changer for founders. Strong networks can open doors to new opportunities, help overcome challenges, and ultimately, increase a startup's chances of thriving in a competitive market.  In this episode, Mike Oliver and Romesh Jeyaseelanayagam will talk to guest speaker ⁠Stefan Thomas⁠ , Founder of The Networking Retreat and the author of the book “Business N...

Exiting a business, often the ultimate goal for many entrepreneurs, is a complex journey fraught with challenges. From finding the right buyer to navigating complex legal and financial hurdles, entrepreneurs must carefully consider multiple factors to ensure a successful and profitable exit. ​ ​ For this episode of Strive & Thrive, we are pleased to welcome guest speaker Andy McNulty, Cofounde...

Finance is a very polarising topic amongst entrepreneurs. Some place it front and centre in their business, counting every penny and converting every action into currency. Others would prefer to avoid it altogether, deeming it a ‘headache’. ​ ​Join us in this Strive & Thrive episode, where Jess, Mike and Romesh discuss this business-critical topic and their views on the benefits of enabling Fi...