ScaleWise, Tom Glason

Making The Grade

Business EN ↓ 30 episodes

Less than 1 in 100 Startups manage to achieve funding beyond Series D or an exit. Investors typically expect 8 out of 10 of the businesses they invest in to fail. It’s time to make building a business less depressing and scale more wisely. Tune into Making The Grade to hear first-hand experiences of venture-backed software companies in their journeys from Seed to Series B funding. Every week, we’ll be joined by Founders, Investors and senior Go-To-Market Leaders to explore the factors driving the decline in graduation rates, misaligned go-to-market operations and ineffective sales and marketin...

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Author

ScaleWise, Tom Glason

Episodes

Capital-Efficient Growth in 2025: James Bagan’s Playbook for GTM Success 21.08.2025 37:51

Too many startups hire ahead of demand, invest in the wrong leaders, or scale sales without a clear ICP - all mistakes that can cost millions and kill momentum. Today’s Making The Grade guest knows exactly how to avoid those pitfalls. We’re joined by James Bagan , Investor at Frog Capital , Chair and GTM advisor for investors. James has been on both sides of the scaling journey. He’s built world-...

When it’s time to step down: Robert Newry’s transition from CEO to Chief Explorer at Arctic Shores 14.08.2025 41:19

Too many founders stay in the CEO seat for too long. Often to the detriment of their company, their teams and themselves. It’s not about giving up. It’s about knowing when you are no longer the best person to lead the business into its next chapter. One example of a founder who knew the time was right and made that leap with clarity and intention is today’s Making The Grade guest, Robert Newry ....

Not a Unicorn? Not a problem. Eyal Malinger & Oren Peleg on building a VC alternative 07.08.2025 39:20

While VC news often dominates the headlines, more often than not, the VC route isn’t the best fit for a business. So, what do you do if venture capital isn’t the right path for your start-up? In today’s Making The Grade episode, we’re unpacking the evolving world of start-up funding and why VC might not be the best fit for every founder or business. To help us do that, we’re joined by Eyal Malin...

Building for a Smart Exit - Scaling Lessons from Serial Entrepreneur Justin Fitzpatrick 31.07.2025 35:13

What does it really take to graduate from seed to exit in today’s start-up climate? In our first episode of our Making the Grade Podcast, we’re joined by serial founder and currently CEO of ESG Book, Justin Fitzpatrick , to unpack the real story behind startup growth. From the messy pivots, M&A strategies, co-founder dynamics, and what it really looks like when you fall off the VC track, Justin s...

Making The Grade Season Trailer 24.07.2025 6:17

Investors typically expect 8 out of 10 of the businesses they invest in to fail. Less than 1 in 100 start-ups manage to achieve funding beyond Series D or an exit. These humbling stats often leave founders less than optimistic. 😩 So, how can building a successful business feel less like an uphill battle? And how can you scale a business with actual options to exit in 2025, and beyond? 💥 To help...