Hard-won truths on leading transformation (Mike Ettling, former CEO of Unit4)

What if the solution to global poverty wasn’t more aid, but more entrepreneurs? In this episode, Richard Medcalf speaks with Etienne Salborn, founder of the Social Innovation Academy (SINA), a transformative movement turning refugees, orphans, and disadvantaged youth into social entrepreneurs. From a single project in Uganda to 19 communities across Africa, Etienne’s work is redefining education, leadership, and impact—by creating “change-maker makers.” In this conversation, you’ll learn: Why the traditional aid model often fails—and how SINA’s “free responsibility” philosophy rewrites the rulesHow a traumatised youth can transform into a powerful leader of a thriving enterpriseThe radical initiation that helps people shed limiting beliefs and reclaim their agencyHow to scale leadership without centralised control—so movements grow like forests, not factoriesWhat most leaders miss about building others who can lead without you For anyone who wants to multiply leaders and leave a legacy that lasts, this one’s essential listening. Resources/sources mentioned:SINA: GoogleHome - SINA (Social Innovation Academy)Home - SINA (Social Innovation Academy)google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjo7qH00faNAxWXRf8BHVboMpEYABAAGgJtZA&co=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwgb_CBhBMEiwA0p3oOPPTiUQV9AtdvwLnZ_CR1y4sD7HM4Q1JGYlybTmD3bzxiY9fvj3eMhoCW9IQAvD_BwE&category=acrcp_v1_48&sig=AOD64_3YDXqDRXHqkY_1juM6RVVIu7jAFw&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwiGipz00faNAxUrhIkEHVbIM60Q0Qx6BAgLEAEThe Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join the Crucible (https://xquadrant.com/crucible), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/ For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/etienne-salborn

What if your biggest leadership challenge wasn’t strategy, but self-doubt? In this episode, Richard Medcalf speaks with Mike Ettling, who recently stepped down as CEO of Unit4 after a transformative six-year tenure. Mike led the company through a complete business model overhaul—from a fragmented, on-premise software provider to a unified, cloud-first organisation. Along the way, he navigated culture shifts, private equity pressures, and the internal doubts that come with playing at the highest level. Now in his new role as a chairman and mentor to CEOs, Mike reflects on what it really takes to lead and multiply impact.In this conversation, you’ll learn: Why hiring for hardship and failure stories beats CV credentialsHow to manage self-doubt when you're surrounded by brilliant peopleWhat really breaks a transformation (hint: it's not your product)The overlooked power of cadence, culture, and purpose in a private equity environmentWhy moving from CEO to chairman demands a radical shift in how you add valueA must-listen for any leader navigating complexity—or preparing to let go and lead in a new way. Resources/sources mentioned:Unit 4 (https://www.unit4.com/ )Mike Ettling Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeettling/ Join the Crucible (XquadrantTHE CRUCIBLE (Private Invitation, our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: Xquadrant‘Making Time For Strategy’ book, by Richard Medcalf - Xquadrant‘Making Time For Strategy’ book, by Richard Medcalf - Xquadrantxquadrant.com/timeFor full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/mike-ettling

What if your boldest vision is years ahead of its time—so far ahead that the world laughs you out of the room?In this deeply personal and provocative conversation, Richard Medcalf speaks with Benjamin Rubin, serial entrepreneur and founder of both Sirenum and Insectika. Benjamin has a rare gift: creating businesses that challenge entrenched paradigms—from transforming the invisible workforce to reinventing how we feed the world. His journey is one of relentless vision, deep humanity, and surprising leadership insights.In this conversation, you’ll learn:How to lead when your vision is misunderstood—and still get your team onboardWhy a deep understanding of the problem beats brilliant solutionsA simple but radical way to create true belonging and loyalty in your teamThe hidden cost of relying on money to motivate people—and what to do insteadHow Benjamin plans to scale impact without losing himself in the process This one’s for the visionary leaders who’ve ever felt alone with a world-changing idea.Resources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Sirenum (SirenumSirenum Staff Management Software for Agencies and Hourly WorkersSirenum Staff Management Software for Agencies and Hourly Workerssirenum.com )Insectika Biotech (https://www.linkedin.com/company/insectika-biotechnologies-israel/)Join the Crucible (https://xquadrant.com/crucible), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/ For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/benjamin-rubinTimestamps:00:00 Intro01:01 Welcome to the Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast01:44 Benjamin Rubin's Early Ventures and Challenges02:25 The Mission and Vision of Insecta03:22 Revolutionizing the Food System with Insect Meal04:33 Challenges and Innovations in the Insect Meal Industry05:36 The Importance of Understanding the Problem06:42 Building and Leading a Visionary Team15:05 Navigating Rejection and Persevering Through Challenges21:16 Building High-Performing Teams with Meaning and Belonging23:51 Questioning the Purpose of Life24:45 Building a Team with Meaning and Belonging25:33 Innovative Bonus Schemes and Interdependence26:44 Finding Deep Meaning in Business28:28 Understanding Employee Aspirations38:05 Balancing Leadership and Personal Life41:47 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

Why would an entrepreneur decide that hiring C-grade students is the way forward?Today Richard speaks with Aditya Siripragada, founder of Fountane. Fountane is digital product studio and venture lab changing the traditional consulting model, with 125 people across US and India. The company doubled revenue annually for 6 years and won the Inc. Top 5000 award in 2024.In this conversation, you’ll learn:The mindset advantage that C-grade students bring to the table (and that A-grade students don't)How and why Fountaine moved away from a pure consulting modelThe one-line reframe that helped Aditya see the true opportunity and reinvent the business.The two "Ds" that help you discern "founder/market fit" and likely future success.Resources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Fountane (https://www.fountane.com/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/aditya-siripragada

Do you need to have a super power to be an effective CEO? What happens if you don't? How can you build a pan-continental business with zero experience? And how can you empower your managers to lead effectively?In this episode Richard speaks with Rebecca Harrison, who has spent the last decade building the African Management Institute (AMI), Africa’s leading provider of business and management learning, supporting 37,000 businesses in 39 African countries, impacting 1.5 million livelihoods and contributing more than $130M to the continent’s economies.In this conversation, you’ll learn:What caused Rebecca to pursue a impact business in a sector and market she had almost no experience of, and what she had to learn the hard way.Why Rebecca doesn't think she has a particular super power - what she says is important instead -- and a helpful reframe of the topic by RichardRebecca's three hard-won tips on building an effective middle management, even in a hierarchical culture sometimes where often the assumption is that "obedience" than "ownership" is required.Resources/sources mentioned:African Management Institute - https://africanmanagers.comThe Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast (https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/rebecca-harrisonTimestamps:00:00 Intro05:36 How to make an impact in Africa13:05 Align business vision with impactful purpose16:33 How to enjoy the entrepreneurial journey18:13 Founder CEO: Care drives progress, not brilliance26:40 Define management expectations for cultural clarity34:44 Monthly cash flow and team meetings checklist38:03 Facing fear, accepting leadership to innovate forward.

How can you build a business that is genuinely global on day one? How do you set up marketing, sales, delivery, recruitment and operations when your local market is not going to be your largest market, and where you want customers to come from anywhere?Today Richard speaks with Fred Plais, co-founder and CEO of Platform.sh, a leading, VC funded Platform-as-a-service for building, running, scaling web applications. In this conversation, you’ll learn:The critical early decisions that enabled the business to go global from day 1Why Platform.sh limits employment to only 12 countries, despite being 100% remoteThe process innovations that have allowed Platform.sh to successfully operate a remote-first cultureThe big mistake Fred made when needing to accelerate profitability... and what happenedResources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Platform.sh (https://platform.sh/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/fred-plaisTimestamps: 00:00 Intro06:01 Building global businesses10:14 Finding great talents outside major hubs13:56 The new remote work paradigm21:58 Distributed global teams ensure 24/7 customer support.26:52 Ensuring cultural fit, clear goals, and remote work.31:24 In-person meetings enhance problem-solving and collaboration.36:09 Reducing cloud app carbon emissions, efficiently.41:29 Focus on future strategy, not micromanage tasks.

How can you keep lean and efficient despite hyper growth?Welcome to The Impact Multiplier CEO, helping you to 10X your financials, 10X your positive impact and 10X the fun you have along the way! Today Richard Medcalf is speaking with Toms Jurjevs, Founder and CEO of Sun Finance, a 1200-person strong business that was recently recognised as the No.1 fastest-growing fintech in Europe by The Financial Times.Toms shares the story of Sun Finance's incredible growth, expanding into 12 international markets and delivering billions in loans.In this conversation, you’ll learn:How Toms minimises bureaucracy and keeps the business agileThe three interrelated elements that Tom keeps a permanent focus on, in order to manage hyper growth without bloatThe "Eagle Strategy" for avoiding micromanagement whilst staying on top of the detailsHow Toms expanded to 12 International MarketsResources/sources mentioned:Sun Finance https://sunfinance.groupThe Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast (https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/toms-jurjevs Timestamps:00:00 Intro06:30 Why you should focus on efficiency.07:25 Spend wisely; avoid comfort and bureaucracy.16:17 Success leads to comfort18:34 Fear of mistakes leads to avoiding action.20:55 Use calls and WhatsApp instead of emails.24:59 Maximize growth potential without comfort zone complacency.31:43 Balancing oversight and action in SunFinance operations.

How can you avoid the common mistakes CEOs make as they scale from £0M to £15M?Today we find out. Richard speaks to Peter Busby, founder of professional services company Grayce that he scaled scaled to £15M in 7 years with 240 people. Peter shares his insights on building a successful business. We’ll explore everything from the lean startup approach and scaling challenges to maintaining growth and the critical need for self-awareness as a leader. We'll also delve into the collaborative mindset that fueled Grace’s success and the pragmatic approach Peter took in hiring, often trusting gut instincts over polished interviews.In this conversation, you’ll learn:The specific mindset you need for success as a founderThe two foundational elements - often skipped over - that are key to building a successful business.The different phases of business growth, how to succeed and what to avoid at each stage.Recruitment during scalingLeadership changes during steady growth phasesImportance of mentors and support systemsOvercoming self-doubt and comfort zonesThinking big and recognizing growth opportunitiesResources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Grayce (https://www.grayce.co.uk/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/peter-busby

How do you grow a business that is so innovative it changes how your entire ecosystem needs to work?Today Richard speaks with Karl Andersson, Founder of Matsmart-Motatos, one of Europe's fastest-growing companies according to the Financial Times with a consistent annual growth of some 70%.Matsmart-Motatos is aiding the sustainable reform of the food system by allowing customers to buy products that would otherwise be discarded due to reasons like changes in packaging, seasons or best-before dates. In this conversation, you’ll learn:How Karl identified the business opportunity The difficulties of pioneering a new business model - and how Karl overcome thoseHow Karl built the necessary trust with logistics partners and suppliersThe very different mindset that Karl looks for in his sales teamLeadership skills that Karl aquired along the wayResources/sources mentioned:https://motatos.comThe Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast (https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/karl-andersson Timestamps:00:00 Intro04:48 How to solve the food waste issue.08:18 Using third-party logistics to overcome challenges.12:06 How can LinkedIn build relationships effectively.15:49 Partnering with major FMCG corporations.19:28 Growing in new markets requires strategic scaling efforts.23:54 Communication, trust, targets, not detailed OKRs - success.29:13 Carl pioneers impactful business tackling food waste.30:53 Leave a review, visit xquadrant.com for support.

What are the skills you'll need to develop in your business, in an AI world?This is the question Richard explores with today's guest. Tim Smeaton is the CEO and Co-Founder of Kubrick Group, a company that helps organizations realise the value of data, AI, and cloud technology. In this conversation, you’ll learn:Why Tim recommends you "ignore amazing opportunities."How Tim identified a structural problem to solve with his business - and the results he got.The potential impact of AI on technology spend, customer service, and decision-making.What skills you'll need to thrive as AI ramps up.Resources/sources mentioned:The Impact Multiplier CEO Podcast(https://xquadrant.com/podcast/)Kubrick Group (https://www.kubrickgroup.com/us/)https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-smeaton-424929Join Rivendell (https://xquadrant.com/rivendell/), our exponential programme for elite CEOs dedicated to transforming themselves, their businesses, and the world.Ready for a big leap forward in your own leadership? Elevate your leadership forever with Richard's book "Making Time for Strategy: How to be less busy and more successful". Buy your book here: https://xquadrant.com/time/For full show notes, head to https://xquadrant.com/tim-smeaton Timestamps: 00:00 Intro04:28 Analytical approach to problem-solving11:43 Addressing skills gap by training in data17:08 Consulting firm offers great value and benefits20:08 Organizations lag in adopting AI 25:12 World Economic Forum highlights33:43 Concerns about the future marketplace and business models36:44 Expand digital areas, diverse training, impact measurement40:16 Hiring and managing a larger team effectively