The Start and Scale Podcast

AI isn't the problem. The foundations are. In the latest Secure & Scale Podcast episode, Jack Brandwood sits down with Jake Bernardes, CISO at Anecdotes, to unpack why the future of security isn't about adding AI everywhere. It's about understanding the problems first. From GRC automation to AI governance, Jake shares why companies need to fix the foundations before they can expect...

Security teams don’t review software. They review systems. In this Secure & Scale Podcast episode, we sit down with Emily Choi-Greene from Clearly AI to unpack what that actually means in practice, and why most security tooling is still only solving a slice of the problem 🎙️ Emily breaks down why 75% of modern security reviews aren’t code at all, and why system-level context is where real risk...

AI-assisted coding is accelerating software development at a pace the security industry hasn’t seen before. In this episode of the Secure & Scale Podcast, Jack Brandwood sits down with Gadi Bashvitz, Founder & CEO of Bright Security, to unpack why traditional AppSec models are struggling to keep up with AI-generated code, rising vulnerability volume, and continuous AI-native attacks. In th...

The Start & Scale Podcast brings unfiltered stories from the people building the future of tech. Hosted by Jack, we explore the realities of scaling teams, building at speed, and the challenges facing engineers, developers, and tech leaders. The Secure & Scale Podcast is our cybersecurity series within Start & Scale, featuring operators, founders, and leaders shaping the future of cybe...

In this episode of The Start & Scale Podcast , we sit down with Ian Saultz , founder of Casco , who previously worked across organisations including AWS, Life Time Fitness and CommIT Enterprises . Ian shares how Casco became the second most upvoted company in Y Combinator history , how the idea was formed while at AWS, and what modern cyber security really looks like in an AI-driven world. We...

In this episode of The Start & Scale Podcast , wesit down with Alex Lisle , whose career spans Sony, Sega,SecurityScorecard , and now Reality Defender , where he’s helping tackle the growing deepfake crisis. Alex shares what it’s like moving from the UK to New York,how getting caught hacking early in his career helped shape his trajectory, and why deepfakes represent one of the biggest threats...

🔥 “Tech is reshaping recruitment, and AI is leading the charge.” – Luke Morton 🔥 In this episode, we sit down with Luke Morton, founder of FirstStage , to explore how AI and automation are transforming the world of recruitment. From AI-generated CVs to the future of hiring, Luke shares insights on how technology is changing the way companies find and hire talent. #AI #TechFounder #Recruitment #S...

Ross Tyler has led tech at Moneysupermarket Group, Car Finance 247, and Shield Safety — but he’s still learning something new every week. On The Start & Scale Podcast , Ross opens up about the realities of modern tech leadership: why communication is a CTO’s most powerful tool, what it really takes to rebuild a product platform, the importance of staying close to the code, and how AI is transf...

In this episode of The Start & Scale Podcast , we’re joined by Jeff Watkins, a seasoned CTO with experience at companies like AND Digital and BJSS. Jeff shares the evolution of his career from hands-on coding to high-level leadership, and the growing need for ethical, people-first decision-making in tech. We dive into the consequences of AI, why junior roles are being displaced, and how simply...

In this episode of The Start & Scale Podcast , we sit down with Richard Wainwright — a seasoned advisor to fast-growing tech companies and a firm believer in the power of people over just pure technical skill. We dive into how his non-linear path in tech has shaped his advisory approach, why businesses often get product scaling wrong, and the underrated importance of soft skills when building...

This week on The Start & Scale Podcast, we sit down with Andy Lole, a seasoned CTPO with experience at companies like eBay, Atos, and Schibsted. Andy shares how taking 18 months out of the tech world changed his mindset, how his leadership style has evolved, and why failure is the best teacher. We dive into what it means to make an instant impact in a new role, how to manage distributed teams,...

In this episode of The Start & Scale Podcast, we sit down with Mic Streeter, who has experience working at companies like N Brown Group, OneAdvanced, and Microlise, to explore leadership, hiring, and innovation in the tech world. Mic shares his journey through multiple tech industries, how COVID reshaped his approach, and why strong leadership is critical to building winning tech teams. We als...

In this episode, we sit down with Leigh Rathbone, Head of Quality Engineering and one of the UK’s most vocal advocates for forward-thinking tech leadership, with experience at companies like Sony, cinch, and The Very Group. We explore the dizzying speed of Gen AI advancement, the role of self-development in leadership, and why software testing is a massively underrated career accelerator. Leigh al...

In our brand new episode, we sit down with Dave Manton , Head of Architecture at Victorian Plumbing ! From starting his career as a Primary School Teacher before discovering Java and later being inspired by Manchester’s booming .NET scene, to now leading a growing architecture function, Dave’s story is one of career pivots, people-first leadership and building great tech teams without losing sight...

In this episode of #TheStartAndScalePodcast, we sit down with Daniel Glenn , Senior VP - Technical Operations at iVendi , to break down what really matters in tech leadership, AI adoption, and building influence—whether you're leading a team or driving impact as an individual contributor. From navigating tech debt and bootstrapping challenges to the undeniable need for software engineers to embrac...

"The businesses that embrace change are the ones that survive.” On this episode of The Start & Scale Podcast, we’re joined by Matthew Belcher , Head of Emerging Technology at Codurance , to talk about the reality of AI adoption, the pace of technological change, and what businesses need to do to stay ahead. In this episode, we cover: 🚀 The AI hype cycle—are companies adopting AI for AI’s sake...

The Start & Scale Podcast is BACK with a brand-new series—this time, we’re diving deep into the world of tech with the people who are coding the future from the frontlines! 🚀Kicking off the first episode of our tech-focused series, we’re joined by Gary Young , Head of Development at Regatta , to explore what it really takes to build and scale high-performing development teams. In this episode...

This week on The Start & Scale Podcast, we were lucky enough to sit down with the extraordinary Sean Brown , twice-exited Founder and CEO at Versori ! 🚀 Sean’s episode unpacks: 🚀 How his business is unlocking 4.5 years worth of revenue in 2 quarters 🚀 How he successfully built and exited multiple businesses 🚀 The importance of surrounding yourself with like-minded people 🚀 The mentality h...

This week on The Start & Scale Podcast, we were lucky enough to sit down with Co-founder and CEO at ThinkCyber , Tim Ward ! 🚀Tim’s episode explores:✅ When to transition from founder-led sales to a dedicated sales team✅ Building out high-performing tech teams ✅ The importance of revisiting your value proposition✅ How to successfully fundraise✅ Leading with a desire to solve a problem✅ Wh...

On this episode of #TheStartAndScalePodcast, you can listen and learn from the COO at Codurance , Steve Lydford! We discuss:✅ The art of crafting scalable software solutions ✅ Building high-performing tech teams ✅ Avoiding common pitfalls as a founder in software development ✅ How to handle being a non-technical founder✅ What Private Equity firms are seeking in a software company And SO much...

On this episode of #TheStartAndScalePodcast, you can listen and learn from the CEO and Co-founder of Finboot , Juan Miguel Pérez Rosas! Juan's episode discusses the challenge of establishing product-market fit in emerging markets, first-hand fundraising advice and the key things you need to balance to be a successful founder. We also explore leveraging feedback to make gradual improvements that en...

On this episode of #TheStartAndScalePodcast, you can listen and learn from 4x Founder, Successful Exiter, Entrepreneur in Residence and Founder of his latest venture Trimontium.io , Mark Kuhillow ! Mark's jam-packed episode discusses product-market fit and how to find it, the metrics you should be measuring, what to do if you don't know how to sell and the positive impact of neurodivergence. We al...

On this episode of #TheStartAndScalePodcast, you can hear from Ben Davies , Group Marketing Director at Praetura Group .  We explore the biggest mistakes startups make when marketing, how to build a community and where to start with your marketing strategy. Together we also unpack companies' tendency to focus too heavily on channels rather than messaging, the true cost of customer acquisition thro...

On this episode of #TheStartAndScalePodcast, you can listen and learn from the very successful Founder & CEO at Workspace 365 , Erik Nicolai .Erik’s jam-packed episode explores how different cultures buy, the importance of personal development as your business grows and what’s more important. The problem or the solution? 🤔We also unpack how hiring more people doesn’t equate to growth, why the...

On this episode of #TheStartAndScalePodcast, you can listen and learn from former Head of Product at Co-op and Fractional CPO at Product Rebel , Holly Donohue . Holly’s jam-packed episode explores the number one thing businesses get wrong when it comes to product, traction vs validation and the grave importance of customer feedback. We also unpack the detrimental and sometimes (very!) costly impac...