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Scaling Up Podcast

Anything & everything you need for Scaling Up business growth challenges. Podcasts with experts, coaches, & CEOs, articles, workshops, webinars, & tools.

03/09/2025

What Can You Learn About Scaling from the Very Early Days of Amazon?

In this episode, Bill sits down with John Rossman, former Amazon executive, author, and expert in leadership strategy, to uncover the secrets behind Amazon’s remarkable scalability. From launching the Amazon Marketplace in 2002 to writing The Amazon Way, John shares leadership lessons and operational principles that any business can adopt. This conversation is a masterclass in customer obsession, high standards, and building mechanisms that scale.

Topics explored in this episode:

(02:00) Playing Bigger is Actually Safer

*How John Rossman went from traditional consulting to shaping one of Amazon’s most successful platforms.

*The unique operating tempo and mindset inside Amazon.

*Why high standards are scalable, and low standards are not.

(11:20) Scaling Is Just a Series of Experiments

*You never want to have all your eggs in one basket.

*If you’re trying to juice your business for -today’s profitability-, you’re setting yourself up for a big risk.

*After being let down by Fedex during the holidays, Amazon knew they had to take their delivery network in-house.

(19:00) Stay in the Problem-Solving Headspace a Little Longer

*Find small ways to test solutions to big customer problems.

*Don’t go all-in or spend big $$ on customer problems without testing the available options.

*Study history and past patterns from other companies to understand how problems get solved in a smart way.

(31:15) Reinventing the Business Model: The Amazon Way

*John shares examples of Fortune 500 companies and how they failed to scale.

*How Amazon out-thought competitors with better models, not bigger teams.

*The mindset shift leaders must make to scale.

(39:15) Leadership Isn’t a Trait. It’s a System.

*Don’t wait for a profit decline. Amazon doesn’t.

*Don’t leave your leadership up to chance.

*How to build culture by design, not by accident.

Thanks to John Rossman for being on the show!

Learn more about The Amazon Way: https://the-amazon-way.com/

Connect with John: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rossman/

Bill Gallagher, Scaling Coach and host of the Scaling Up Business podcast, is an international business coach who works with C-Suite leaders to achieve breakthrough growth.

Join Bill in the Growth Navigator Coaching Program: https://ScalingCoach.com/workshop

Bill on LinkedIn: https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/BillGall

27/08/2025

Sometimes the best way to grow your business is to temporarily get away from it

20/08/2025

Should You Build a Business from Scratch or Buy One that’s Already Working?

In this episode, Bill sits down with Matt Raad, founder of the eBusiness Institute and veteran business buyer, to explore the world of digital acquisition, business turnarounds, and intentional exits. From a humble start in zoology and manufacturing to flipping multi-million dollar websites, Matt’s journey highlights how you can build wealth through strategic business acquisitions.

Topics explored in this episode:

(07:00) Buying a Bankrupt Business
*Working with a shady accountant, buying a bankrupt business, and the accidental M&A lesson.
*Early inspiration from Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, and “What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School.”

(10:30) Turnarounds that Worked and One That Didn’t
*Why Matt’s retail experiment failed.
*The power of simply raising prices and boosting sales.
*Preparing a business for exit with minor tweaks, not reinvention

(20:20) Discovering the Digital Goldmine
*Moving from bricks and mortar to passive digital income.
*Why Matt avoided eCommerce and leaned into affiliate websites.
*How his first $20k website changed everything.

(26:00) Built to Sell: Why Your Exit Strategy Starts Now
*Sell on the way up, not at the peak.
*Most founders wait too long and lose their best valuation.

(31:50) Equity, Earnouts, and Strategic Sales
*PE vs. strategic buyers: which gets you the better multiple?
*Stories of regret from entrepreneurs who sold equity too early.
*How smart PE groups structure incentives for better exits.

(41:55) Shared Ownership Isn’t Always a Bad Thing
*Why giving shares to store managers and salespeople drives better performance.
*A proven incentive structure from one of Matt’s mentors.

Thanks to Matt Raad for being on the show!

Learn more about Matt: https://www.ebusinessinstitute.com.au/
Listen to Matt’s podcast: https://www.digitalinvestors.com/podcast/

28/07/2024

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25/07/2024

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