Scale-Up Sessions

Growing a business isn't just about getting more attention. It's about making sure the right people find you, trust you, and know exactly how to buy from you. In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how founders can turn visibility into sustainable growth. From building meaningful relationships and creating a clear market position, to systemising sales and reducing founder dependency, we...

What stops businesses from scaling? More often than not, it's not the market or the strategy - it's founder bottlenecks, misaligned leadership teams, and decisions made under pressure. In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we unpack the leadership challenges that emerge as businesses grow and become more complex. From struggling to let go of control to building alignment across senior teams, we ex...

Is access to finance really drying up for growing businesses, or has the SME lending market simply become more complex? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions , we explore how the UK SME lending landscape is evolving and what business owners need to understand before raising finance. From the rise of fintech and alternative lenders to the growing importance of brokers and long-term planning, this co...

According to Product Talk’s 2026 CDH Benchmark survey, only around 20% of product teams describe themselves as truly outcome-focused, while roughly 30% are still primarily measuring outputs rather than real impact. So, are you measuring what truly drives growth — or just tracking activity? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we’re joined by Sam Collett, Chief Innovation Officer at Eventus.do. Sa...

In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore another compelling Scale-Up Story, diving into the realities of building and scaling a business rooted in culture, community and authenticity. Joining us is Tom Bott, Founder and Managing Director of Signature Brew, a brewery built at the intersection of great beer and live music. What started as a creative way to connect with audiences has grown in...

When is the right time to bring finance into your business, and how do you know you’re truly ready for it? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how founders can choose the right type of finance and make sure their business is in the right position to use it effectively. From understanding whether funding is the real solution, to avoiding common scaling traps, this conversation offers p...

Search is changing, and the way customers find your business is evolving fast. So the question is: are you still showing up? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions , we explore how shifting search behaviour is reshaping visibility for growing businesses, and what scale-ups need to do to stay discoverable in an increasingly fragmented landscape. Joining us is Rick Talbot, Director of Digital at Total...

In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions , we explore another fascinating Scale-Up Story , delving deep into the realities of scaling an AI-driven business. Joining us is Chandini Jain, co-founder and CEO of Auquan, a fintech company that creates autonomous AI agents designed to automate complex, knowledge-intensive workflows in financial services. Chandini shares how she identified a widespread indus...

In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions , we dive into our first ever Scale-Up Story , exploring the real journey of building, growing and leading a business through the highs, lows and pivotal turning points that only experience can teach. Joining us is Devika Wood , CEO of Brain+, a tech-enabled home care platform that raised millions in funding and scaled rapidly in the UK’s growing elderly care s...

In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions , we explore how growing businesses can protect and strengthen their customer experience as they scale. From spotting early warning signs, to fixing the right problems first, this conversation is packed with practical strategies to ensure growth doesn’t come at the expense of satisfaction or trust. Joining us is Louise Coles , Director of Operations & Servi...

PR is changing, and getting attention is harder than ever. With newsrooms shrinking and competition growing, how do you cut through the noise and get the right people to care about what you’re building? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions, we explore how growing businesses can use PR as a powerful growth lever — building trust, credibility and visibility in increasingly crowded markets. From unde...

Is discomfort a sign that you’re failing or growing? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions , we explore how founders can build resilience, empower their teams, and create a culture of transparency and psychological safety that drives high performance. From reframing discomfort to giving honest feedback without breaking trust, this conversation is packed with practical strategies for scaling under p...

Can you grow your brand without blowing your budget? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions , we dive into how scaling businesses can make every marketing pound count. From prioritising the right channels to proving ROI and adapting when budgets shrink - this conversation is packed with actionable advice that your business can put into practice right away . Joining us is Haly Berni (formerly Haly Br...

Is your company’s purpose just words on a wall , or is it actively driving business growth, performance, and real-world impact ? In this episode of Scale Up Sessions , we're joined by Becky Willan , co-founder and CEO of Given , the agency for purpose-driven businesses. Becky works with ambitious brands to define and activate purpose across their organisation, moving it beyond statements and into...

Is AI the ultimate growth hack, or a shortcut to costly mistakes? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions , we explore how businesses can harness AI to boost efficiency without risking compliance or customer trust. From identifying the right processes to automate, to setting guardrails and keeping humans in the loop - this is your roadmap to safe, smart AI adoption. Joining us is Rana Bhattacharya, C...

Is burnout the hidden cost of rapid growth? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions , we explore how fast-growing businesses can maintain momentum without exhausting their teams or damaging their bottom line. You’ll learn why constant high performance is a myth, how to anticipate pressure points, and the simple shifts that help to create sustainable growth. Joining us is Leanne Spencer, workplace wel...

Is your leadership team ready for the next stage of growth, or are they holding you back? In this episode of Scale-Up Sessions , we unpack how to hire, evolve and align your senior team so they can take your business where you want it to go. From creating clear job scorecards to avoiding the trap of abdication, we discuss the practical steps to building a stronger, more aligned leadership team. Jo...

Welcome to Scale Up Sessions, y our roadmap to scale your business. I’m Martin Kennington, and every week, I’ll be joined by experts from across finance, entrepreneurship, and investment to help you craft pitches that win, make smarter financial decisions, and scale your business with confidence. We’ll share the key to all areas of modern business strategies, decode what investors are really looki...