Sparks by Ignium

The CRIT framework — Context, Role, Interview, Task — is the method Geoff Woods uses to help executive teams make decisions in minutes that used to take months. In this episode of Sparks by Ignium, Phil Rose sits down with Geoff, author of The AI-Driven Leader and the strategic advisor who helped grow Jindal Steel & Power's market cap from $750 million to over $12 billion in four years. Geoff'...

TL;DR:  The premier episode of the newly rebranded Sparks for Growth podcast features executive coach Dana Theus, who reveals that the ultimate investment for scaling a business is coaching — because leaders, not systems or tech, are most often their own limiting factors. Dana addresses common barriers like founder’s syndrome, blind spots, and how a lack of leisure time limits women from thinking...

TL;DR: Shraddha Varma, co-founder of Fuzia, shares her journey of scaling a girls’ writing club to a global economic commercial ecosystem. Today, it’s a powerful tool for female empowerment, and she talks about how it bridges the gap between creative talent and financial independence. The conversation highlights her transition from corporate pharmaceutical sales to building a platform that challen...

TL;DR: Sam Goodner is a Swiss-American serial entrepreneur who co-founded Catapult Systems in 1993 with just $17,000 and scaled it into Microsoft's number one global partner — before later growing Flash Parking from 12 employees to unicorn status. In this episode, Sam joins Phil Rose to share the leadership principles behind sustainable business growth, drawing on three decades of entrepreneurial...

TL;DR: In this episode, serial entrepreneur Richard Mulholland challenges ambitious leaders to scrap traditional business rulebooks in favour of relentless relevance. Shifting away from the 'do what you love' myth, Richard argues that true success comes from identifying and fixing what frustrates you. He explores how AI should be used to drive radical efficiency, the importance of T-shaped thinkin...

In this episode, Phil Rose is joined by Karen Ball — Senior Fellow at Prosci, global authority on change management, and author of The ADKAR Advantage. With over 40 years of experience helping organisations navigate change, Karen brings warmth, rigour and real-world stories to a conversation that is as reassuring as it is practical. Key takeaways: why ROI depends on adoption, not installation; how...

In this episode, Phil Rose speaks with Pete Martin, author of Scale Up Faster. Drawing on three years of rigorous research — studying over 32,000 companies and interviewing nearly 100 CEOs — Pete uncovers what the fastest-growing bootstrapped businesses in America actually had in common. What were the keys to their success? Discover how they proved that sustainable scaling doesn’t require a manage...

The saying goes, we always seem to have either time or money – but never both at the same time. But is this really the case? Are all people abundant in one, really lacking in the other? If someone has the balance right, what’s their secret? If you want to unlock next-level success in your business, career or leadership, then this podcast has the answers you’re looking for.   Phil Rose talks to Dr...

When it comes to what you say and do as a leader, who’s really in charge? Your conscious, or subconscious mind? If it’s the latter, you may be surprised to hear that your brain could be serving the ten-year-old you – not the leader you are today. And if you’ve ever asked, ‘How can I become a better leader?’ then this conversation offers some helpful answers. Author and personal development expert...

TLDR: In this straight-talking episode, Phil Rose sits down with Alex MH Smith to ask one crucial question: Do you really know what your business is for? Most business owners don’t. And that’s a problem. Alex breaks down why many leaders get strategy completely backwards—and how to flip the script by cutting through complexity, embracing difference, and reverse-engineering a business model that tr...

It’s time to wrap our business podcast for entrepreneurs for 2025. In the year we’ve turned 100 (episodes that is) we’ve had some inspiring guests with fresh, timely and uplifting ideas for human and business success alike. We know that great podcasts rely on great questions, but what’s the one that makes every one of our guests pause and think? ‘What would you tell your younger self?’  We’ve welc...

Don’t have the time, energy or cash to invest in happiness? The truth is, it’s already affecting your bottom line. Nic Marks, speaker, author and statistician with soul, shows how emotions and numbers absolutely do mix, revealing the real ROI behind happiness strategies he has used everywhere from NHS trusts to the National Grid to smaller Scale Up businesses..   In this smile-inducing episode, Ni...

 Alan D’Nacio’s journey from corporate leader to purpose-driven coach and coffee entrepreneur is a rich blend of cultural insight, strategic thinking, and human connection. In this episode, he shares the power of embracing diversity, the often-missed step in effective coaching, the unifying traits of entrepreneurs, and how language learning and a love for coffee led to a business rooted in communi...

TLDR:   Leadership, resilience, and letting go of control—lessons from the middle of the Atlantic.   In this powerful episode of Sparks by Ignium, Phil Rose is joined by professional adventurer-turned-executive coach Sally Kettle, the first woman to row the Atlantic Ocean twice from East to West—once with her mum!   From navigating literal 20-foot waves to navigating team dynamics in the high-pres...

If times are tough for large organisations, what chance do small businesses have? Surprisingly, not only can they survive, they can thrive. In this episode, we talk to Sri Kaza, author of Unconvention, a book that examines the habits and superpowers of winning small business owners during the most testing of times: the recent pandemic.   After years at McKinsey advising multinationals, Sri’s focus...

Cashflow Is King: Why Every Business Must Tell Its Financial StorySummary:   Don’t grow broke. Safeguard your company’s future and increase its value by understanding the whole picture and making the complicated simple. Do this by measuring, charting and planning how you’re going to get from A to B in a way that everyone can follow and they can get excited about. It’s about the numbers showing up...

Verne Harnish joins Phil Rose to unpack Scaling Up, the daily huddle rhythm, BHAGs, and the one metric leaders must protect to scale purpose and profit in 2025. Guest: Verne Harnish — founder of Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) and creator of the Scaling Up framework Host: Phil Rose, Sparks by Ignium Why this conversation matters now (2025): Leaders are operating in a world of persistent change—sh...

 In this episode of Sparks by Ignium, our podcast created to help you scale your business with purpose, Phil Rose talks to author, mindfulness expert and Networking Queen, Helen Nicholson. If the thought of networking finds you heading for the nearest exit, you’ll be surprised to hear that introverts have a distinct advantage over extroverts when it comes to building connections that last.   The p...

In this episode, Phil Rose digs into the experience vault of veteran leader Mark Fritz. Now an author and speaker across 50 countries, Mark spent 25 years as a leader at Kodak and shares his very unique, tried-and-tested methods. ‘From my bosses, I only wanted two things: freedom and visibility,’ he says about his early career. These themes became a basis for success over the decades. Learn about:...

In this insightful episode of Sparks by Ignium, host Phil Rose speaks with Erika Robinson , from Constant Contact , about how small businesses and entrepreneurs can build powerful customer relationships through intentional marketing and meaningful email communication. Drawing on experience across global brands Erika shares a strategic, human-centred approach to digital marketing. Her insights reve...

What are the 7 constants of successful scaling, regardless of what the world is doing around you?   In the second 100th episode of Sparks, Phil Rose draws on his experience as a business owner, Scaling-up coach, and podcast host to explore why these super 7 themes keep showing up in sustainable business growth. Even against the odds.   ‘The world is changing but it doesn’t mean your purpose has to...

In this special 100th episode of Sparks by Ignium, host Phil Rose reflects on five transformative years since the podcast’s inception in 2019. Our business growth podcast with a difference has reached its centenary, and we couldn’t be happier or more proud. It’s given us a chance to share space with forward-thinking and successful entrepreneurs who have added value to their businesses while adding...

‘My last coach was not a business coach. She said I can help you become a better person and perhaps that will help your business. Oh boy was she right!’ It's time for an honest question. Could you be the bottleneck in your business success? If so, what can you do about it? Often, when we seek answers about what’s standing in our way, we highlight external factors when what’s needed is a deeper und...

Is it time to rethink everything you’ve ever learned about the USP (or unique selling point)? What is a USP in business and do they work? How do you know? What’s the alternative? In this episode of Sparks by Ignium, speaker and author Chantal Cornelius explains why she abandoned the concept of USP in business growth long ago. After twenty-five years of achievement in her own marketing company, ext...

“Innovation doesn’t happen when you start doing something new, it happens when you stop doing something old.” The human Summary (from the lovely Amanda Fearn ): Our second podcast episode of 2025 features Richard Mulholland, author of Here Be Dragons, a deliberately easy-to-digest book on the power of stories to sell, persuade and connect. If one of the things at the top of your list for 2025 is s...